Beauty - a premium or a penalty? The role of physical attractiveness in labour market and its intersectional outcomes : Narrative literature review on appearance-based discrimination in the labour market

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis was to examine the multidimensional roles of socially perceived physical attractiveness and their outcomes in the labour market. I conducted the thesis as narrative literature review and utilised the chosen methodology to perform thematic analysis based on secondary data from existing literature. The thesis material consists of eleven international research articles found from two different databases. In the literature review, I compiled information on how physical attractiveness influences hiring decisions, wage disparities, career advancement, and overall labour market outcomes. This thesis has three research questions: 1) What role does physical attractiveness play in the labour market and how does attractiveness affect the socioeconomic outcomes in the labour market? 2) How and to what extent are social stratification and gendered double standards produced and maintained within labour market when it comes to physical attractiveness? 3) What other explanations could possibly exist to explain beauty effects in the labour market? The thesis aimed to achieve a deeper understanding of the intersectional factors influencing the consequences of attractiveness in the labour market. Additionally, when interpreting the material, I focused on the cultural implications of physical attractiveness in labour market outcomes. The emphasises is on the complex interplay between physical attractiveness, gender, race, and culture in shaping labour market outcomes. The findings reveal that physical attractiveness significantly impacts labour market outcomes, often resulting in a "beauty premium" for attractive individuals, who receive preferential treatment, higher wages, and better job opportunities. Conversely, less attractive individuals may face an "ugliness penalty," experiencing biases that hinder their professional advancement. The research highlights the gendered nature of these effects, with women often facing both rewards and penalties based on their attractiveness, while men predominantly benefit from a beauty premium. Women are more likely to face “beauty penalty”, particularly in male-typed jobs, where attractiveness can lead to perceptions of a "lack of fit" in certain roles. Additionally, this thesis emphasises the intersectional consequences of attractiveness particularly for racial and ethnic minorities, who often face compounded discrimination due to Eurocentric beauty standards. Based on the material, darker-skinned individuals, especially women, face the steepest penalties in the labour market. The results prove that lookism is closely linked to colourism. The thesis also introduces a novel "cultural differences" explanation to account for discrepancies in existing literature suggesting that cultural norms, historical contexts, and regional beauty standards significantly influence the outcomes of physical attractiveness in the labour market.