Another Important Study

[abbey1227]

This one isn't quite as bizarre as the finding that 4 of 10 Americans believe that they could 'hold their own' against Olympic athletes........but still.........

Study: Unattractive people far overestimate their looks
The finding is remarkably similar to the Dunning-Kruger effect, which describes how incompetent people tend to overestimate their own competency.
Stephen Johnson  19 August, 2020

Recent studies asked participants to rate the attractiveness of themselves and other participants, who were strangers.
The studies kept yielding the same finding: unattractive people overestimate their attractiveness, while attractive people underrate their looks.
Why this happens is unclear, but it doesn't seem to be due to a general inability to judge attractiveness.

There's no shortage of disparities between attractive and unattractive people. Studies show that the best-looking among us tend to have an easier time making money, receiving help, avoiding punishment, and being perceived as competent. (Sure, research also suggests beautiful people have shorter relationships, but they also have more sexual partners, and more options for romantic relationships. So call it a wash.)

Now, new research reveals another disparity: Unattractive people seem less able to accurately judge their own attractiveness, and they tend to overestimate their looks. In contrast, beautiful people tend to rate themselves more accurately. If anything, they underestimate their attractiveness.

The research, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, involved six studies that asked participants to rate the attractiveness of themselves and other participants, who were strangers. The studies also asked participants to predict how others might rate them.

In the first study, lead author Tobias Greitemeyer found that the participants who were most likely to overestimate their attractiveness were among the least attractive people in the study, based on average ratings.

Ratings of subjective attractiveness as a function of the participant's objective attractiveness (Study 1)

Greitemeyer

"Overall, unattractive participants judged themselves to be of about average attractiveness and they showed very little awareness that strangers do not share this view. In contrast, attractive participants had more insights into how attractive they actually are. [...] It thus appears that unattractive people maintain illusory self‐perceptions of their attractiveness, whereas attractive people's self‐views are more grounded in reality."

Why do unattractive people overestimate their attractiveness? Could it be because they want to maintain a positive self-image, so they delude themselves? After all, previous research has shown that people tend to discredit or "forget" negative social feedback, which seems to help protect a sense of self-worth.

To find out, Greitemeyer conducted a study that aimed to put participants in a positive, non-defensive mindset before rating attractiveness. He did that by asking participants questions that affirmed parts of their personality that had nothing to do with physical appearance, such as: "Have you ever been generous and selfless to another person?" Yet, this didn't change how participants rated themselves, suggesting that unattractive people aren't overestimating their looks out of defensiveness.

The studies kept yielding the same finding: unattractive people overestimate their attractiveness. Does that bias sound familiar? If so, you might be thinking of the Dunning-Kruger effect, which describes how incompetent people tend to overestimate their own competency. Why? Because they lack the metacognitive skills needed to discern their own shortcomings.

Greitemeyer found that unattractive people were worse at differentiating between attractive and unattractive people. But the finding that unattractive people may have different beauty ideals (or, more plainly, weaker ability to judge attractiveness) did "not have an impact on how they perceive themselves."

In short, it remains a mystery exactly why unattractive people overestimate their looks. Greitemeyer concluded that, while most people are decent at judging the attractiveness of others, "it appears that those who are unattractive do not know that they are unattractive."
Unattractive people aren't completely unaware

The results of one study suggested that unattractive people aren't completely in the dark about their looks. In the study, unattractive people were shown a set of photos of highly attractive and unattractive people, and they were asked to select photos of people with comparable attractiveness. Most unattractive people chose to compare themselves with similarly unattractive people.

"The finding that unattractive participants selected unattractive stimulus persons with whom they would compare their attractiveness to suggests that they may have an inkling that they are less attractive than they want it to be," Greitemeyer wrote.

bigthink.com/sex-relationships/science-of-attraction?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1

I gotta think the odd thing there is that truly attractive people underestimate? How? When the rest of humanity is fawning and drooling over you, you sorta gotta notice, right?

[Prometheus]

Aug 9, 2021 7:23:16 GMT abbey1227 said:

This one isn't quite as bizarre as the finding that 4 of 10 Americans believe that they could 'hold their own' against Olympic athletes........but still.........

Study: Unattractive people far overestimate their looks
The finding is remarkably similar to the Dunning-Kruger effect, which describes how incompetent people tend to overestimate their own competency.
Stephen Johnson  19 August, 2020

Recent studies asked participants to rate the attractiveness of themselves and other participants, who were strangers.
The studies kept yielding the same finding: unattractive people overestimate their attractiveness, while attractive people underrate their looks.
Why this happens is unclear, but it doesn't seem to be due to a general inability to judge attractiveness.

There's no shortage of disparities between attractive and unattractive people. Studies show that the best-looking among us tend to have an easier time making money, receiving help, avoiding punishment, and being perceived as competent. (Sure, research also suggests beautiful people have shorter relationships, but they also have more sexual partners, and more options for romantic relationships. So call it a wash.)

Now, new research reveals another disparity: Unattractive people seem less able to accurately judge their own attractiveness, and they tend to overestimate their looks. In contrast, beautiful people tend to rate themselves more accurately. If anything, they underestimate their attractiveness.

The research, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, involved six studies that asked participants to rate the attractiveness of themselves and other participants, who were strangers. The studies also asked participants to predict how others might rate them.

In the first study, lead author Tobias Greitemeyer found that the participants who were most likely to overestimate their attractiveness were among the least attractive people in the study, based on average ratings.

Ratings of subjective attractiveness as a function of the participant's objective attractiveness (Study 1)

Greitemeyer

"Overall, unattractive participants judged themselves to be of about average attractiveness and they showed very little awareness that strangers do not share this view. In contrast, attractive participants had more insights into how attractive they actually are. [...] It thus appears that unattractive people maintain illusory self‐perceptions of their attractiveness, whereas attractive people's self‐views are more grounded in reality."

Why do unattractive people overestimate their attractiveness? Could it be because they want to maintain a positive self-image, so they delude themselves? After all, previous research has shown that people tend to discredit or "forget" negative social feedback, which seems to help protect a sense of self-worth.

To find out, Greitemeyer conducted a study that aimed to put participants in a positive, non-defensive mindset before rating attractiveness. He did that by asking participants questions that affirmed parts of their personality that had nothing to do with physical appearance, such as: "Have you ever been generous and selfless to another person?" Yet, this didn't change how participants rated themselves, suggesting that unattractive people aren't overestimating their looks out of defensiveness.

The studies kept yielding the same finding: unattractive people overestimate their attractiveness. Does that bias sound familiar? If so, you might be thinking of the Dunning-Kruger effect, which describes how incompetent people tend to overestimate their own competency. Why? Because they lack the metacognitive skills needed to discern their own shortcomings.

Greitemeyer found that unattractive people were worse at differentiating between attractive and unattractive people. But the finding that unattractive people may have different beauty ideals (or, more plainly, weaker ability to judge attractiveness) did "not have an impact on how they perceive themselves."

In short, it remains a mystery exactly why unattractive people overestimate their looks. Greitemeyer concluded that, while most people are decent at judging the attractiveness of others, "it appears that those who are unattractive do not know that they are unattractive."
Unattractive people aren't completely unaware

The results of one study suggested that unattractive people aren't completely in the dark about their looks. In the study, unattractive people were shown a set of photos of highly attractive and unattractive people, and they were asked to select photos of people with comparable attractiveness. Most unattractive people chose to compare themselves with similarly unattractive people.

"The finding that unattractive participants selected unattractive stimulus persons with whom they would compare their attractiveness to suggests that they may have an inkling that they are less attractive than they want it to be," Greitemeyer wrote.

bigthink.com/sex-relationships/science-of-attraction?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1

I gotta think the odd thing there is that truly attractive people underestimate? How? When the rest of humanity is fawning and drooling over you, you sorta gotta notice, right?

Attractive people show humility, which - in itself - is an attractive quality.

One could say that the act of underestimating one's attractiveness is a tacit acceptance of it and enhances it at the same time.

[abbey1227]

Aug 10, 2021 1:37:34 GMT Prometheus said:

Aug 9, 2021 7:23:16 GMT abbey1227 said:

Attractive people show humility, which - in itself - is an attractive quality.

One could say that the act of underestimating one's attractiveness is a tacit acceptance of it and enhances it at the same time.

That's a pretty good point........any 7 or above that acts like just a regular person is to be commended for not abusing their powers. 

[Prometheus]

Aug 10, 2021 3:16:31 GMT abbey1227 said:

Aug 10, 2021 1:37:34 GMT Prometheus said:

Attractive people show humility, which - in itself - is an attractive quality.

One could say that the act of underestimating one's attractiveness is a tacit acceptance of it and enhances it at the same time.

That's a pretty good point........any 7 or above that acts like just a regular person is to be commended for not abusing their powers. 

You're welcome!