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Exploring the Beauty Bias

30 Aug 2023

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An HKBU study found that the “beauty premium” does exist in the recruitment process and is evident when forming first impressions of an individual.
Dr Yanju Liu says, research shows that the role played by beauty in job evaluation and promotion diminishes when an individual’s ability and competency become apparent over time.

The subject of human bias has long been the topic of research in workplace-related psychology. One particular bias that is commonly found in the workplace is the “beauty bias”, also known as the “beauty premium” i.e. the phenomenon of favouring better-looking individuals in the recruitment process. This topic has been extensively researched and talked about. A study by the Journal of Economic Psychology has gone so far to note that women wearing makeup are perceived as more trustworthy and more likely to receive higher income.

Depreciation of the “beauty premium”

Dr Yanju Liu, Associate Professor of the Department of Accountancy, Economics and Finance, is part of a recent HKBU study that examines the impact of beauty on the academic career success of tenure-track accounting professors at top American business schools. The study has been published in the Journal of Accounting, Auditing, and Finance.

The key takeaway is that the “beauty premium” does exist and is evident when forming first impressions of an individual. The sobering conclusion, however, is that the “beauty premium” depreciates as time goes by and people start to notice and appreciate the true abilities of the individual.

“HKBU’s transdisciplinary research encourages interdisciplinary collaborations and partnerships to address real-world challenges. This study is a good example of transdisciplinary research motivated by findings from psychology, sociology and economics. We are surprised to see that even in the most rigorous and objective evaluation processes, the effect of the pro-attractiveness bias still exists,” says Dr Liu.

Doomed to be victims of this human bias, or not?

“Research shows that the role played by beauty in job evaluation and promotion diminishes when an individual’s ability and competency become apparent over time. It is important that individuals get fair opportunities at the start of their career, so that they don’t have to wait years to prove their worth. By refining the recruitment process to make it more transparent, objective and bias-free, we can overcome this tendency to be biased,” Dr Liu continues.

Completely eliminating unconscious bias is not a realistic expectation. After all, it is an innate human quality. However, being aware of this tendency and taking steps to curb it goes a long way in ensuring that the right candidates are hired for the right role, and that fair promotion and compensation are given.