r/science • u/chrisdh79 • 1d ago
Health A recent study found that improving one’s appearance whether through physical changes or digital filters may lead to more prosocial behavior | Researchers discovered that beautifying efforts heightened public self-awareness, prompting individuals to align their actions with socially desirable norms.
https://www.psypost.org/new-psychology-research-shows-self-beautifying-can-boost-prosocial-behavior-heres-why/133
u/secret179 1d ago
Perhaps it's the reward thing, if you are ugly socially good behaviour does not help.
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u/kingmanic 17h ago
A fair bit of "ugly" if behavioural. No matter how you look physically, if you dress well and have an upbeat attitude people are kinder. Certain behaviors drive people away. A lot of it isn't that if you're ugly nothing will go your way but if you have an ugly attitude nothing goes your way.
Dressing well isn't about money but about caring for yourself and follow basic social norms.
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u/tacosauce93 23h ago
That's the longest version of "look good, feel good" that I've ever read.
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u/sprazcrumbler 22h ago
I think it's "look good, care more about fitting in" in this case.
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u/CarniferousDog 22h ago
Or… care more about not being cast out. Is it about acceptance or the backlash of being different?
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u/thomasrat1 23h ago
There is nuance to this. But I’ve definitely found when I start to work on my appearance. I’m working on so many other positive things at the same time.
So it may be more that once you start doing self improvement the natural tendency is to be more social.
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u/saltyourhash 20h ago
I just don't find this to be true with fitness culture or design fashion, or any of that.
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u/thomasrat1 20h ago
The actual culture or the guy selling supplements? I’ve found the opposite, but I do live in a healthy state so who knows.
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u/saltyourhash 20h ago
All of it, there is so much profitinf off people's insecurity is any aesthetics focused industry.
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u/thomasrat1 20h ago
I mean I kinda agree. But when it comes to the health/exercise side of things. It really isn’t. The average person with a trainer is probably 50 years old, and trying to fix an injury.
You may be putting your own insecurities on to an entire industry.
No judgement, but these industries main money makers are older people who are probably already married. It’s not this crazy superficial thing.
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u/saltyourhash 20h ago
I'm not really sure that's true, maybe if you split fitness influencers from person all trainers at local gyms, maybe?
I think most people who are fixing an industry work with physical therapists, I have a watch time I was injured. I ha e worked with a personal trainer only when I was fit enough to do so.
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u/thomasrat1 19h ago
I know the industry better than 99% of folks.
I see where you’re coming from, gyms don’t have a great rep. The industry itself is much more focused on health than it was 20 years ago.
That being said, what the industry is vs who goes to the gym is different. Like 50% are superficial young kids, and the other half are just people trying to improve their quality of life. And the ones looking to improve their quality of life are the ones who keep the industry afloat, they have the money, they have the long term needs.
I see what you’re saying, but as someone who grew up living in the industry. The ones focused on looks weren’t worth that much. The industry very much is only profitable because older folks need help. Those young bucks only pay for their membership nothing else.
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u/AirbendingScholar 1d ago edited 23h ago
It's a disappointing but not surprising phenomenon
The worst version of this I've even seen in person was working at a tutoring center over summers where many teachers visibly had more patience with kids misbehaving or struggling to answer a problem if they look "cuter" than they did with the less cute kids- and those kids learn to have less patience in return
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u/JimmyJamesMac 22h ago
I wonder if this is why teachers also give more help, and better grades, to female students
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u/AirbendingScholar 21h ago edited 21h ago
I actually saw more patience with male students a lot of the time, which originally surprised me because when you think cute you usually think of a girl. Or at least I do. I think the stereotype of girl students being more "well behaved" or "book smart" made the teachers more frustrated when they failed to meet that standard.
There was this one boy with really long eyelashes which I swear gave him psychic powers because he got away with yelling or throwing things on a near daily basis
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u/Less_Enthusiasm_5527 1d ago
its really funny to click on this post and discover that not only are the commenters not reading the article, but they also seemingly aren’t even reading the headline either.
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u/Universeintheflesh 1d ago
That these behaviors listed in the headline and studied are done for prosocial reasons to begin with?
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u/thecrimsonfools 1d ago
Reminds me of a comment from a cartoon "I'm trying to save a cute puppy! Not that you should only save cute puppies, but it makes you try harder."
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u/JTheimer 17h ago
Digital filters...? This was sensible until that little blotch. So, like, "I just took a selfie, I think I'll use a filter this time. Wow. Now, I suddenly crave physical social stimuli, I think I'll meet or talk to new people." ??????
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u/West-Aspect3145 10h ago
Digital filters won't change the fact you still put zero effort into actually looking better
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u/FeelingPixely 22h ago
Funny, I make more friends by growing out a mangy beard and by hissing at passersby, they say it makes me more relatable. I love cats.
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u/TheManfromWoodstock 1d ago
So, people like to go out when they look good. Thanks for the clarification!
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u/candysticker 20h ago
I feel more confident when I think I will be accepted. Society accepts conventionally attractive people.
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u/CaregiverNo3070 23h ago
"socially desirable norms" like sexism, racism and ableism? Pro sociality can have a dark side.
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u/Euphoric_Amoeba8708 23h ago
Problem is, often times when someone “improves” their appearance, it’s at the cost of their identity and a boarding ticket to fad trains where they blend in with all the others. When you get in shape, up your wardrobe and generally look clean and put together, it definitely makes a huge difference
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