在《我為喜劇狂》的經(jīng)典劇集“泡沫”一集中,卡爾文·克雷恩(Calvin Klein)本人對(duì)喬·哈姆飾演的德魯說(shuō):“打擾一下,我是卡爾文·克雷恩,我覺(jué)得你應(yīng)該成為我品牌的下一個(gè)內(nèi)衣模特。”德魯甚至都沒(méi)有要卡爾文的電話號(hào)碼,這是因?yàn)閷?duì)喬飾演的這個(gè)貌比潘安的角色來(lái)說(shuō),一切都水到渠成。在這一集中,德魯可以隨意進(jìn)入任何他想就餐的餐廳,說(shuō)服交警撕毀他的停車罰單,甚至在他完全不懂網(wǎng)球技術(shù)的情況下為他的網(wǎng)球教練招攬客戶。亞歷克·鮑德溫(Alec Baldwin)飾演的杰克·多納希(Jack Donaghy)解釋說(shuō),他生活在美貌泡沫中。
"外貌出眾的人和相貌平庸之人受到的待遇是不同的。顏值高的人生活在泡沫中。”他直視著蒂娜·菲(Tina Fey)飾演的麗茲·萊蒙(Liz Lemon)說(shuō)道。
但如果泡沫確實(shí)存在呢?一位研究魅力與收入之間關(guān)系的世界頂尖專家認(rèn)為確實(shí)如此。
哈默梅什(Hamermesh)花了三十年的時(shí)間來(lái)解構(gòu)美貌帶來(lái)的經(jīng)濟(jì)效益,最終在2011年出版了《美貌買單:為何有魅力的人更加成功》(Beauty Pays: Why Attractive People Are More Successful)一書。他與另一位經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家張安文(Anwen Zhang)一起研究了"顏值"到底值多少錢,結(jié)果顯示價(jià)值數(shù)千美元。
事實(shí)證明,"美貌溢價(jià)"能帶來(lái)相當(dāng)可觀的收入增長(zhǎng)。根據(jù)哈默梅什和張安文最新發(fā)表的題為《可遺傳的外貌特征對(duì)經(jīng)濟(jì)的影響:性感父母,富家子弟?》(“The economic impact of heritable physical traits: Hot parents, rich kid?”)的研究報(bào)告,父母相貌出眾,其子女平均年收入比相貌平平的同齡人高出約2300美元。
得克薩斯大學(xué)奧斯汀分校(University of Texas at Austin)名譽(yù)教授哈默梅什在接受《財(cái)富》雜志采訪時(shí)表示:"這大約是普通人收入的5%,這一數(shù)字不大不小。”在整個(gè)職業(yè)生涯中,這相當(dāng)于額外增加了10.6萬(wàn)美元的收入,該論文稱之為一筆"可觀的收入"。
研究工作場(chǎng)合中外貌出眾人士的專家
哈默梅什說(shuō),美貌并不只是膚淺的,這項(xiàng)對(duì)具有得天獨(dú)厚的優(yōu)勢(shì)且與家庭相關(guān)的特征的研究,可以為我們創(chuàng)造一個(gè)更公平公正的社會(huì)提供一些啟示。他表示,"代際機(jī)會(huì)"是"社會(huì)科學(xué)中最重要的問(wèn)題"。
他說(shuō):“重要的是要強(qiáng)調(diào),這一遺傳特征會(huì)影響子女的未來(lái)發(fā)展。如果父母相貌出眾,就會(huì)產(chǎn)生積極的影響;如果父母的某些基因型使你相貌丑陋,那就會(huì)產(chǎn)生負(fù)面影響。”
哈默梅什和他的合著者,格拉斯哥大學(xué)(University of Glasgow)的張安文首先確定,美貌確實(shí)會(huì)由父母遺傳給孩子。研究人員使用了來(lái)自美國(guó)和中國(guó)的四個(gè)不同的數(shù)據(jù)集,其中觀察者根據(jù)數(shù)字量表對(duì)父母和孩子的吸引力進(jìn)行打分,研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn),如果父母的吸引力比常人高出10個(gè)百分點(diǎn),那么其子女的吸引力就會(huì)高出約4個(gè)百分點(diǎn)。
將這些數(shù)據(jù)與家庭收入數(shù)據(jù)進(jìn)行配對(duì),研究人員就能給顏值出眾的人定價(jià):平均每年2300美元。
哈默梅什說(shuō),這種優(yōu)勢(shì)之所以奏效,主要有兩大原因。他在接受《財(cái)富》雜志采訪時(shí)表示:“首先,我的父母越有魅力,我也就越有吸引力,因此我的薪資也就越高,而這又得益于我的容貌。第二個(gè)因素是,我的父母社會(huì)地位高,這讓我在社會(huì)層面上更占上風(fēng)——進(jìn)入更優(yōu)質(zhì)的學(xué)校,接受更高端的教育等等。”
在這一點(diǎn)上,長(zhǎng)相出眾似乎會(huì)讓人更容易接受不勞而獲的優(yōu)勢(shì)。2014年的一項(xiàng)研究發(fā)現(xiàn),認(rèn)為自己有魅力的人更能接受社會(huì)不平等現(xiàn)象(因?yàn)樗麄儜{借外表,心理上把自己歸入了更高的社會(huì)階層)。
長(zhǎng)相出眾的人究竟是如何騙取高薪的,這一現(xiàn)象說(shuō)起來(lái)比較復(fù)雜,是難以衡量的人際互動(dòng)之間千絲萬(wàn)縷的聯(lián)系造成的結(jié)果。在我們眼中,有魅力的人道德高尚,更值得信賴,更善良純厚;選民們一直更青睞身材高大的候選人,而管理者則認(rèn)為有魅力的人比普通人能力更強(qiáng)。除了哈默梅什的研究之外,事實(shí)證明,我們中長(zhǎng)相出眾的人能賺取更高的薪資,這在各種各樣的行業(yè)中都是如此——甚至在大多數(shù)與外貌無(wú)關(guān)的工作中也是如此。
哈默梅什早前的一項(xiàng)研究發(fā)現(xiàn),顏值高的法學(xué)院畢業(yè)生會(huì)逐步變成收入較高的律師。相貌出眾的教授在教學(xué)評(píng)估中的得分更高;擁有一表人才的高管的廣告公司收入較高;令人賞心悅目的女服務(wù)員每年比相貌平平的同行多賺約1200美元的小費(fèi)。顏值高的人也顯得更自信,別人也會(huì)認(rèn)為他們能力更強(qiáng),這可以轉(zhuǎn)化為工作表現(xiàn)亮眼和頻繁晉升。
“顏值中等偏上”的麗茲·萊蒙肯定會(huì)贊同這一點(diǎn)。在一名女服務(wù)員提出要“把德魯?shù)难坨R打掉”之后,她當(dāng)面對(duì)證道:“大多數(shù)人都是這樣生活的。因?yàn)槟銣喩砩l(fā)出‘迪士尼王子’般的氣質(zhì)……你生活在泡沫里,人們按照你的意愿行事,告訴你你想聽到的美言。”
盡管哈默梅什認(rèn)為調(diào)查結(jié)果令人擔(dān)憂,但他還沒(méi)有呼吁征收美貌稅,他表示自己更希望政客們先解決“民族、種族、宗教偏見(jiàn)”問(wèn)題。但他還表示,由于人們無(wú)法輕易改變自己的容貌,對(duì)美貌特權(quán)的研究可以為我們了解職場(chǎng)中普遍存在的其他偏見(jiàn)提供一些啟示。
他補(bǔ)充說(shuō):"你很難改變自己的容貌、種族或性別,從這個(gè)意義上講,將這三者歸類為同樣的事物是合乎邏輯的。”(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:中慧言-王芳
在《我為喜劇狂》的經(jīng)典劇集“泡沫”一集中,卡爾文·克雷恩(Calvin Klein)本人對(duì)喬·哈姆飾演的德魯說(shuō):“打擾一下,我是卡爾文·克雷恩,我覺(jué)得你應(yīng)該成為我品牌的下一個(gè)內(nèi)衣模特。”德魯甚至都沒(méi)有要卡爾文的電話號(hào)碼,這是因?yàn)閷?duì)喬飾演的這個(gè)貌比潘安的角色來(lái)說(shuō),一切都水到渠成。在這一集中,德魯可以隨意進(jìn)入任何他想就餐的餐廳,說(shuō)服交警撕毀他的停車罰單,甚至在他完全不懂網(wǎng)球技術(shù)的情況下為他的網(wǎng)球教練招攬客戶。亞歷克·鮑德溫(Alec Baldwin)飾演的杰克·多納希(Jack Donaghy)解釋說(shuō),他生活在美貌泡沫中。
"外貌出眾的人和相貌平庸之人受到的待遇是不同的。顏值高的人生活在泡沫中。”他直視著蒂娜·菲(Tina Fey)飾演的麗茲·萊蒙(Liz Lemon)說(shuō)道。
但如果泡沫確實(shí)存在呢?一位研究魅力與收入之間關(guān)系的世界頂尖專家認(rèn)為確實(shí)如此。
哈默梅什(Hamermesh)花了三十年的時(shí)間來(lái)解構(gòu)美貌帶來(lái)的經(jīng)濟(jì)效益,最終在2011年出版了《美貌買單:為何有魅力的人更加成功》(Beauty Pays: Why Attractive People Are More Successful)一書。他與另一位經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家張安文(Anwen Zhang)一起研究了"顏值"到底值多少錢,結(jié)果顯示價(jià)值數(shù)千美元。
事實(shí)證明,"美貌溢價(jià)"能帶來(lái)相當(dāng)可觀的收入增長(zhǎng)。根據(jù)哈默梅什和張安文最新發(fā)表的題為《可遺傳的外貌特征對(duì)經(jīng)濟(jì)的影響:性感父母,富家子弟?》(“The economic impact of heritable physical traits: Hot parents, rich kid?”)的研究報(bào)告,父母相貌出眾,其子女平均年收入比相貌平平的同齡人高出約2300美元。
得克薩斯大學(xué)奧斯汀分校(University of Texas at Austin)名譽(yù)教授哈默梅什在接受《財(cái)富》雜志采訪時(shí)表示:"這大約是普通人收入的5%,這一數(shù)字不大不小。”在整個(gè)職業(yè)生涯中,這相當(dāng)于額外增加了10.6萬(wàn)美元的收入,該論文稱之為一筆"可觀的收入"。
研究工作場(chǎng)合中外貌出眾人士的專家
哈默梅什說(shuō),美貌并不只是膚淺的,這項(xiàng)對(duì)具有得天獨(dú)厚的優(yōu)勢(shì)且與家庭相關(guān)的特征的研究,可以為我們創(chuàng)造一個(gè)更公平公正的社會(huì)提供一些啟示。他表示,"代際機(jī)會(huì)"是"社會(huì)科學(xué)中最重要的問(wèn)題"。
他說(shuō):“重要的是要強(qiáng)調(diào),這一遺傳特征會(huì)影響子女的未來(lái)發(fā)展。如果父母相貌出眾,就會(huì)產(chǎn)生積極的影響;如果父母的某些基因型使你相貌丑陋,那就會(huì)產(chǎn)生負(fù)面影響。”
哈默梅什和他的合著者,格拉斯哥大學(xué)(University of Glasgow)的張安文首先確定,美貌確實(shí)會(huì)由父母遺傳給孩子。研究人員使用了來(lái)自美國(guó)和中國(guó)的四個(gè)不同的數(shù)據(jù)集,其中觀察者根據(jù)數(shù)字量表對(duì)父母和孩子的吸引力進(jìn)行打分,研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn),如果父母的吸引力比常人高出10個(gè)百分點(diǎn),那么其子女的吸引力就會(huì)高出約4個(gè)百分點(diǎn)。
將這些數(shù)據(jù)與家庭收入數(shù)據(jù)進(jìn)行配對(duì),研究人員就能給顏值出眾的人定價(jià):平均每年2300美元。
哈默梅什說(shuō),這種優(yōu)勢(shì)之所以奏效,主要有兩大原因。他在接受《財(cái)富》雜志采訪時(shí)表示:“首先,我的父母越有魅力,我也就越有吸引力,因此我的薪資也就越高,而這又得益于我的容貌。第二個(gè)因素是,我的父母社會(huì)地位高,這讓我在社會(huì)層面上更占上風(fēng)——進(jìn)入更優(yōu)質(zhì)的學(xué)校,接受更高端的教育等等。”
在這一點(diǎn)上,長(zhǎng)相出眾似乎會(huì)讓人更容易接受不勞而獲的優(yōu)勢(shì)。2014年的一項(xiàng)研究發(fā)現(xiàn),認(rèn)為自己有魅力的人更能接受社會(huì)不平等現(xiàn)象(因?yàn)樗麄儜{借外表,心理上把自己歸入了更高的社會(huì)階層)。
長(zhǎng)相出眾的人究竟是如何騙取高薪的,這一現(xiàn)象說(shuō)起來(lái)比較復(fù)雜,是難以衡量的人際互動(dòng)之間千絲萬(wàn)縷的聯(lián)系造成的結(jié)果。在我們眼中,有魅力的人道德高尚,更值得信賴,更善良純厚;選民們一直更青睞身材高大的候選人,而管理者則認(rèn)為有魅力的人比普通人能力更強(qiáng)。除了哈默梅什的研究之外,事實(shí)證明,我們中長(zhǎng)相出眾的人能賺取更高的薪資,這在各種各樣的行業(yè)中都是如此——甚至在大多數(shù)與外貌無(wú)關(guān)的工作中也是如此。
哈默梅什早前的一項(xiàng)研究發(fā)現(xiàn),顏值高的法學(xué)院畢業(yè)生會(huì)逐步變成收入較高的律師。相貌出眾的教授在教學(xué)評(píng)估中的得分更高;擁有一表人才的高管的廣告公司收入較高;令人賞心悅目的女服務(wù)員每年比相貌平平的同行多賺約1200美元的小費(fèi)。顏值高的人也顯得更自信,別人也會(huì)認(rèn)為他們能力更強(qiáng),這可以轉(zhuǎn)化為工作表現(xiàn)亮眼和頻繁晉升。
“顏值中等偏上”的麗茲·萊蒙肯定會(huì)贊同這一點(diǎn)。在一名女服務(wù)員提出要“把德魯?shù)难坨R打掉”之后,她當(dāng)面對(duì)證道:“大多數(shù)人都是這樣生活的。因?yàn)槟銣喩砩l(fā)出‘迪士尼王子’般的氣質(zhì)……你生活在泡沫里,人們按照你的意愿行事,告訴你你想聽到的美言。”
盡管哈默梅什認(rèn)為調(diào)查結(jié)果令人擔(dān)憂,但他還沒(méi)有呼吁征收美貌稅,他表示自己更希望政客們先解決“民族、種族、宗教偏見(jiàn)”問(wèn)題。但他還表示,由于人們無(wú)法輕易改變自己的容貌,對(duì)美貌特權(quán)的研究可以為我們了解職場(chǎng)中普遍存在的其他偏見(jiàn)提供一些啟示。
他補(bǔ)充說(shuō):"你很難改變自己的容貌、種族或性別,從這個(gè)意義上講,將這三者歸類為同樣的事物是合乎邏輯的。”(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:中慧言-王芳
“Excuse me, I’m Calvin Klein, I think you should be my next underwear model,” the real Calvin Klein says to Drew, played by Jon Hamm, on 30 Rock’s classic “The Bubble” episode. Drew doesn’t even ask for Calvin’s number, because things just always work out for this extremely handsome character. Also in the episode, Drew is seen getting into any restaurant he wants, talking a traffic cop into ripping up his parking ticket, and even getting clients for his tennis coaching business despite his total lack of skill. He lives in a bubble of beauty, Alec Baldwin’s Jack Donaghy explains.
“Beautiful people are treated differently from …. Moderately pleasant-looking people,” he says, looking directly at Tina Fey’s Liz Lemon. “They live in a bubble.”
But what if the bubble were real? One of the world’s leading experts on the link between attractiveness and income thinks it is.
According to Hamermesh, who has spent three decades deconstructing the financial benefits of beauty, culminating in the 2011 book Beauty Pays: Why Attractive People are More Successful, it pays to be good-looking. Along with another economist, Anwen Zhang, he has dug into just how much it’s worth, and it’s thousands of dollars.
The “beauty premium” turns out to provide a fairly significant pay bump. Children of attractive parents, on average, have annual incomes about $2,300 higher than their plain-faced counterparts, according to the new working paper from Hamermesh and Zhang titled “The economic impact of heritable physical traits: Hot parents, rich kid?”
“It’s about 5% of the average person’s earnings— it’s not small, it’s not huge,” Hamermesh, a professor emeritus at University of Texas at Austin, told Fortune. Over the course of a working life, that translates into an additional $106,000 in income, which the paper calls “substantial.”
Experts in beauty at work
Hamermish says beauty isn’t just skin deep, and this study of a clearly advantageous and family-linked trait can teach us something about creating a fairer and more just society. “Intergenerational opportunity,” he says, is “the most important question in the social sciences.”
“The crucial thing to stress is this is an inherited characteristic, and it affects the kid who has it,” he said. “Positively if they’re good-looking; negatively if parents have some genotypes that go on and make you ugly.”
Hamermesh and his co-author, Anwen Zhang of the University of Glasgow, first determined that beauty is, indeed, passed on from parent to child. Using four different datasets from the U.S. and China, in which observers rated parents’ and children’s attractiveness on a numerical scale, the researchers determined that having parents who were 10 percentage points more attractive than typical created a child about 4 percentage points more attractive.
Matching up these figures with household income data, they were then able to price ranking higher on the looks scale: $2,300 a year, on average.
This advantage works for two main reasons, Hamermesh said. “Firstly, my parents being more attractive makes me more attractive, and therefore I earn more money, because I’m better-looking,” he told Fortune. “The second factor is, my parents having done better, it gives me a leg up in society—better schools, better education and so forth.”
To that point, it would seem that having good bones makes one more comfortable with unearned advantage. One 2014 study found that people who believed themselves attractive were more comfortable with social inequality (because they mentally put themselves into a higher social class, by virtue of their looks).
Just how exactly, good-looking people finagle their way into more pay is a complex phenomenon, the result of hundreds of hard-to-measure human interactions. We see attractive people as more moral, more trustworthy, and kinder; voters consistently prefer taller candidates for office, while managers see attractive people as more capable than run-of-the-mill folks. And beyond Hamermesh’s research, the good-looking among us have consistently been shown to make more money, across a variety of industries—even the majority of jobs in which looks are irrelevant.
Good-looking law school graduates grow into higher-earning lawyers, an earlier study by Hamermesh found. Better-looking professors are rated higher on teaching evaluations; advertising firms with good-looking executives have higher revenues and pretty waitresses earn about $1,200 more in tips annually than their plainer counterparts. Pretty people also present as more confident and others view them as more capable, which can translate into better work performance and more frequent promotions.
The “moderately pleasant-looking” Liz Lemon would surely agree. After a waitress offers to “smack those glasses off your face,” she confronts Drew, telling him: “This is how most people live. Because of your whole ‘Disney prince’ thing… you live in a bubble where people do what you want and tell you what you want to hear.”
Still, while Hamermesh believes the findings are worrying, he isn’t yet calling for a beauty tax, saying he would prefer politicians address “ethnic, racial, religious bias” first. But because people can’t easily change how they look, the study of pretty privilege can offer some insight into other kinds of bias that pervade the workplace, he said.
“It’s very hard to change your looks or your race or gender, and in that sense it’s logically the same thing,” he added.