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The impact of attractiveness on employability: Gender differences in peer effects

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  • Zeev Shtudiner

Abstract

In this study, we examine if there are peer effects on the influence of external appearance on employability. We presented participants with a series of male and female photos and asked them to rate the attractiveness, employability, and other characteristics of the people portrayed. Candidates who were rated as more attractive were also deemed more likely to be invited for an interview. However, male candidates were judged relatively such that a candidate's chance of being interviewed decreased when his image was presented with that of other handsome men. This relative effect was not found to be significant for women.

Suggested Citation

  • Zeev Shtudiner, 2020. "The impact of attractiveness on employability: Gender differences in peer effects," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 41(8), pages 1613-1620, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:mgtdec:v:41:y:2020:i:8:p:1613-1620
    DOI: 10.1002/mde.3207
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Markus M. Mobius & Tanya S. Rosenblat, 2006. "Why Beauty Matters," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 96(1), pages 222-235, March.
    2. Shtudiner, Zeev & Klein, Galit, 2020. "Gender, attractiveness, and judgment of impropriety: The case of accountants," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    3. Bradley J. Ruffle & Ze'ev Shtudiner, 2015. "Are Good-Looking People More Employable?," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 61(8), pages 1760-1776, August.
    4. Chaim Fershtman & Uri Gneezy, 2001. "Discrimination in a Segmented Society: An Experimental Approach," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 116(1), pages 351-377.
    5. Shtudiner, Zeev & Klein, Galit & Zwilling, Moti & Kantor, Jeffrey, 2019. "The value of souvenirs: Endowment effect and religion," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 17-32.
    6. Biddle, Jeff E & Hamermesh, Daniel S, 1998. "Beauty, Productivity, and Discrimination: Lawyers' Looks and Lucre," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 16(1), pages 172-201, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Adamopoulou, Effrosyni & Kaya, Ezgi, 2024. "Beautiful inside and out: Peer characteristics and academic performance," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 217(C), pages 507-532.
    2. Vojtěch Kotrba & Mirka Strnadová & Luis F. Martinez & Pedro Brinca, 2025. "The most likeable soccer players and the least likeable hockey players are in greater demand," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 23(2), pages 529-548, June.
    3. Zvi, Liza & Shtudiner, Zeev, 2021. "Resume fraud and counterproductive behavior: The impact of narcissism in the labor market," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    4. Shtudiner, Zeev & Siniver, Erez & Tobol, Yossef & Yaniv, Gideon, 2024. "Female attractiveness engenders honesty among men but dishonesty among women," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 218(C), pages 592-598.
    5. Sherman, Arie & Atad, Erga & Shtudiner, Zeev, 2025. "Are employers happy to hire happy candidates? Happiness and Employability Sources," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 115(C).

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