How Looking Good Can Make You a Better Citizen: Groundbreaking Research from Tel Aviv University

vanity

A new Tel Aviv University study challenges conventional wisdom about vanity. It suggests that striving for beauty, whether real or imagined, can foster positive social outcomes. People who prioritize their appearance are more likely to be compassionate and charitable, contributing to a more caring society.

The researchers discovered that individuals who invest in their appearance, regardless of whether the improvement is tangible or perceived, tend to exhibit heightened levels of altruistic behavior. Such individuals are more likely to engage in acts of kindness and charitable giving.

The surprising study on vanity was led by Dr. Natalia Kononov, who completed her doctorate under the supervision of Prof. Danit Ein-Gar at the Coller School of Management at Tel Aviv University and is now a postdoctoral fellow at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. The study, conducted in collaboration with Prof. Ein-Gar and Prof. Stefano Puntoni of Wharton, was published in the International Journal of Research in Marketing.

“When we enhance our appearance and feel beautiful—for example, after a fresh haircut—we behave in a more socially conscious manner,” explains Prof. Ein-Gar. “Why? Because we feel as though all eyes are on us, that we’re drawing attention, and so we strive to act better. It’s easy to criticize the selfie generation, constantly beautifying themselves and sharing polished photos, but we demonstrate a side effect of this behavior that can benefit society. People who feel good about their appearance can channel that feeling into good deeds.”

To test their hypothesis, the researchers conducted a series of experiments, some in virtual settings and others in a laboratory. In one lab experiment, participants were asked to use a filter to enhance a selfie they had taken. A control group, meanwhile, was asked to enhance a photo of an object in the room.

“The experimental group consisted of 50 participants, as did the control group,” Prof. Ein-Gar explains. “After viewing their enhanced photo, each participant collected an envelope with their payment in cash. Next to the payment envelope there was a donation box, so participants could voluntarily donate some or all of their payment. We observed that members of the experimental group, who saw themselves as more attractive, donated up to twice as much as those in the control group. It’s enough to imagine ourselves as more attractive—even just envisioning a more polished digital version of ourselves—to encourage prosocial behavior. This insight has significant practical implications.”

Prior research has primarily examined the physical attractiveness of fundraisers as a determinant of donation behavior. Their study extends this research by introducing a novel factor: the appearance of the donor. This finding opens up opportunities for innovative fundraising strategies, such as collaborations with cosmetic companies, hairdressers, and beauty salons, to enhance charitable giving.

One of the most surprising experiments was conducted virtually, on Facebook. Clicking on a link randomly directed users to one of two “know yourself” questionnaires. The control group’s questionnaire asked about preferred architectural styles, while the experimental group’s questionnaire included questions about fashion styles and was designed to make respondents imagine themselves at their most attractive moments, such as envisioning themselves dressed up for a fancy social event. At the end of the questionnaire, a seemingly unrelated pop-up appeared with a link to a donation page. About 7% of respondents who answered the “beauty” questionnaire clicked on the donation link, compared to approximately 2% of those who answered the architectural questionnaire—a particularly impressive figure considering the average click-through rate on Facebook links is just 0.9%.