Cheerleader effect

The Cheerleader Effect, also known as the group attractiveness effect, is a cognitive bias where people perceive individuals as more attractive when they are in a group compared to when they are alone. This phenomenon gained popular attention partly due to its mention in popular media but is backed by scientific observations.

How it works

The effect is thought to occur because our brains process the visual information of a group holistically, meaning we average out individual facial features across all group members. This averaging tends to diminish unattractive deviations and enhances attractive features, leading to a perception of increased overall attractiveness.

Examples

• A study participant rates photos of people in groups as more attractive than photos of the same individuals when shown alone.
• In social settings, an individual's perceived attractiveness increases when they are part of a group arrangement, like a family or team photo.

Consequences

The Cheerleader Effect can lead individuals to make biased judgments in social situations, influencing decisions in contexts like hiring, social event planning, or even jury deliberations, where visual first impressions matter.

Counteracting

To counteract the Cheerleader Effect, one can focus on evaluating individuals one-on-one rather than in group settings. Practicing mindfulness and awareness of this bias can also help reduce its impact.

Critiques

Some critics argue that the Cheerleader Effect might be overstated or may not apply equally across different cultures and settings. The effect may also interact with other biases, complicating its application and measurement.

Fields of Impact

Also known as

Relevant Research

• 230-235

  Walker, D., & Vul, E. (2013). Hierarchical encoding makes individuals in a group seem more attractive. Psychological Science, 25 (1)

• The anatomy of the coordinate group effect: How individual attractiveness is increased by average co-member attractiveness in groups

  Carr, A. (2016)

  Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 22(3), 279–285