How going for a haircut or getting our nails done could help humans to behave more kindly
Getting your hair and nails done is one of life’s little pleasures.
Now experts have discovered that they not only give us a boost, but also make us behave more kindly towards others.
Research has shown that people who take small steps to improve their appearance are twice as likely to donate to charity.
The Tel Aviv University team conducted a series of experiments, some in a virtual environment and others in a laboratory.
In one, participants were asked to use a filter to enhance a selfie they had taken. A control group, meanwhile, was asked to improve a photo of an object in the room.
After viewing their enhanced photo, each participant collected an envelope containing the cash payment.
Next to the envelope was a donation box so that participants could voluntarily donate some of their money.
Analysis showed that members of the experimental group who found themselves more attractive after improving their own photo donated up to twice as much as those in the control group.
Research has found that people who take small steps to improve their appearance are twice as likely to donate to charity
Dr. Natalie Kononov said: ‘People who focus on appearance are often judged harshly, but we show that this behavior can have positive spillover effects that benefit others’
In a separate experiment conducted on Facebook, one group of people was asked about their preferred architectural styles and the other group about fashion.
The fashion group was asked to imagine themselves in their most attractive moments, for example dressing up for a chic social event.
At the end of the experiment, a pop-up appeared with a link to a donation page.
About 7 percent of people who answered the “beauty” questionnaire clicked on the donation link, compared to 2 percent who answered the architecture questionnaire.
Professor Danit Ein-Gar, one of the authors of the study, said: ‘When we improve our appearance and feel beautiful, for example after a new haircut, we behave more socially consciously.
‘Why? Because we feel like all eyes are on us, that we are attracting attention, and therefore we strive to act better.
‘It’s easy to criticize the selfie generation, who are constantly beautifying themselves and sharing polished photos, but we’re showing a side effect of this behavior that can benefit society.
‘People who feel good about their appearance can translate that feeling into good deeds.’
Professor Danit Ein-Gar said: ‘When we improve our appearance and feel beautiful, for example after a new haircut, we behave more socially consciously
The team said their findings “open the door to innovative strategies” for charity campaigns, for example working with cosmetic companies, hairdressers and beauty salons to boost donations.
Dr. Natalie Kononov, who led the study, said: ‘Our society is obsessively focused on physical appearance while simultaneously criticizing this superficial behavior.
“People who focus on appearance are often judged harshly, but we show that this behavior can have positive spillover effects that benefit others.”
The findings have been published in the International Journal of Marketing.