Do people with outstanding looks earn more and make better spouses? We explore the relationship between appearance and economic power through the marriage criteria of Amazonian indigenous peoples and modern society research.
What are the qualities of a good spouse in the Amazon?
I read an article about Amazonian indigenous peoples. While most now live alongside modern civilization, occasionally, indigenous groups living deep in the Amazon rainforest, untouched by modernity, are discovered. This is about those people.
They were asked several questions, including this one: “What kind of person makes a good spouse?” There is no currency here. So, a wealthy person or a rich person cannot be the answer. So, wouldn’t they say someone handsome, strong, or kind would make a good marriage partner? But the answer was, “Someone who hunts well, someone who brings back plenty of food.” One woman lamented that she married a man who couldn’t hunt well and was suffering because of it.
It made me laugh. In modern monetary societies, we use money to buy food and maintain our homes, so we simply wish for wealth. In a society without money, people don’t desire wealth, but instead want a spouse who can provide ample food. Whether you want money or food, it ultimately boils down to the same thing: someone who makes my life easier. Seeing this, it seems there’s little difference between a hunting society and modern society. It suggests that the criteria for choosing a good marriage partner are closer to human instinct than to social conventions.
Discrimination and prejudice based on appearance, but it’s reality
But one question came to mind. While it might be different for those a bit older, don’t people untouched by society’s ways value looks more than economic power? Handsome people, stylish people are far more popular than wealthy ones. Doesn’t the fact that younger people prioritize looks over money conflict with the hypothesis that they want a financially secure marriage partner? That thought passed in an instant. Could the reason people seek attractive or handsome individuals be because such people are more likely to earn higher incomes? If so, prioritizing a marriage partner’s appearance wouldn’t conflict with valuing economic status.
Research shows that higher attractiveness correlates with higher income. One of the most famous studies comes from Professor Daniel Hamermesh of the University of Texas. Professor Hamermesh has long researched the correlation between appearance and income. In a paper published in 1993, Professor Hammermesh examined the correlation between appearance and income based on surveys: employment status of 2,164 Americans in 1971, quality of life of 1,515 Americans in 1977, and quality of life of 3,415 Canadians in 1981. In each survey, interviewers met the subjects in person to assess their appearance.
The findings were as expected: individuals with attractive appearances earned more than those with average looks. However, there were unexpected differences. While it’s commonly assumed that appearance affects income more significantly for women, the results showed otherwise. Men’s appearance had a greater impact on their earnings. Attractive men earned 5.3% more per hour than men with average looks. Meanwhile, attractive women earned 3.8% more than average women. The income increase tied to appearance was more pronounced for men than for women.
Another unexpected result concerned the earnings of people with below-average looks. Unattractive men earned less than average men. The extent of this difference was far greater than anticipated. Men with below-average looks earned 9.1% less than average-looking men, while women earned 5.4% less. In conclusion, the issue was less about attractive people earning more and more about unattractive people earning less. Furthermore, discrimination based on appearance was more severe for men than for women. In other words, the biggest beneficiaries of appearance were attractive men, and the biggest losers were unattractive men.
Another study I consider the most reliable on the correlation between appearance and income is the 2012 paper by Professor Lee Soo-hyung of the University of Maryland and Professor Ryu Geun-kwan of Seoul National University. This research was based on appearance evaluations and income data from over 9,000 individuals registered with a prominent Korean marriage information company. Korean marriage information companies are extremely strict in their appearance evaluations. They don’t rely on personal subjective assessments; they have a systematic set of evaluation metrics. Furthermore, income isn’t simply self-reported like in a survey. Individuals must submit official documentation proving their actual income. The data related to appearance and income is highly objective.
Similar results emerged here. The agency grades appearance from A to D. Men rated A earned about 15% more than men rated C, who had average looks. Women in the A grade earned 11% more than those in the C grade. This study did not show that lower appearance necessarily meant below-average income. However, it’s difficult to conclude based solely on this study that there is no disadvantage associated with appearance. This data is based on information from a prominent marriage information company, and it’s highly probable that individuals with truly poor appearance or income would not have registered with such a company in the first place.
Regardless, these studies indicate that appearance does influence income. Attractive individuals are more likely to earn higher incomes. Does exceptional appearance lead to increased competence, thereby boosting earnings? That’s unlikely. Numerous studies have examined whether appearance correlates with academic performance or skill levels, yet no significant link has been found between looks and grades. Nevertheless, appearance does influence income. This seems rooted in social prejudice and misconceptions. Whether judging people by appearance is prejudice or misunderstanding, the reality is that income disparities based on looks do exist. It’s unfair, but that’s how the world works.
A measure for picking someone who will earn well when young
When you see research showing that Amazonian tribes consider ‘good hunters’ excellent marriage prospects, and that people with superior looks earn more, it makes you think that people of marriageable age don’t just prioritize a partner’s looks because they genuinely prefer good-looking people. When you’re young, you can’t know if someone will earn well or gain social recognition later. So what should you look at to judge a good marriage prospect? The conclusion of these two studies is that, generally speaking, people with attractive looks are more likely to earn a lot of money. If that’s the case, isn’t choosing a partner based on looks somewhat rational? This could very well be why women want handsome men and men want pretty women.
Plastic surgery is often seen as exclusively for women. But it seems men, not women, are the ones who truly need it. This is evident from research showing that income differences based on appearance are actually greater for men.
