Have you ever thought that attractive people have it easier in life? It's not just an illusion - a new study shows that beauty directly affects financial and professional success.
According to research published in the INFORMS Journal Information Systems Research, attractive people earn an average of 2.4% more than those with more “regular” looks. Over a 15-year period, that difference amounts to about $2,508 more per year. And if someone is in the top 10% of attractive people, the benefit is even greater — up to 11% more pay, or about $5,528 per year.
The study analyzed the careers of over 43,000 MBA graduates, most of whom were male (71%) and white (81%). The assessment of beauty was based on immutable characteristics, such as facial structure, and not on elements such as hair or makeup. The results showed that 15 years after graduation, an attractive person was 52.4% more likely to have a more desirable position than an average-looking colleague.
But the privilege of beauty doesn't come without a cost. The study notes that being attractive can also bring challenges in the workplace, such as unwanted attention or sexual harassment, especially for women, given that most leadership positions are held by men.
According to researchers, this phenomenon shows that professional success depends not only on skills and qualifications, but also on how society perceives beauty. If we once thought that beauty privilege was just a myth, now we have concrete evidence that it affects careers - and even bank accounts.
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