According to researchers at the Royal Holloway, University of London, standing next to an ugly friend will make you appear more attractive.
People’s judgement of how attractive you look vary according to the company you keep according to the researchers.
The researchers asked volunteers to rate pictures of different faces for attractiveness.
The volunteers were then asked to rate the same faces placed next to pictures with faces perceived to be on the ugly side.
The researchers found that adding the pictures with faces perceived to be on the ugly side led to the original faces seeming more fancied.
“We live in a society obsessed with beauty and attractiveness, but how we measure and understand these concepts is still a grey area,” study author Nicholas Furl said.
“Until now, it’s been understood that a person’s level of attractiveness is generally steady.
“However, this work demonstrates that the company we keep has an effect on how attractive we appear to others.
“Rightly or wrongly, the way people look has a profound impact on the way others perceive them.”
The study was published in the journal Psychological Science.
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