Experiment reveals the benefits of hair styling and nail care
Hair styling and nail care are life's little pleasures, and now experts have discovered that in addition to giving ourselves a morale boost, it also makes us act kinder towards others.
The study found that those who take small steps to improve their appearance are twice as likely to donate to charity.
According to the Daily Mail, it is easy to criticize the selfie generation, constantly beautifying themselves and sharing polished photos, but the study's experiment shows a side effect of this behavior that can benefit society.
New experiment
"People who feel good about their appearance can channel that feeling into good deeds," says co-author Dr. Danette Ein Gar.
In the experiment, which took place in a virtual environment and some in the lab, participants were asked to use a filter to improve a selfie they had taken. At the same time, a control group was asked to improve a photo of an object in the room.
After viewing their improved photos, each participant collected an envelope containing their cash payment.
Donation box
Next to the envelope was a donation box, so participants could voluntarily donate some of their payments.
The analysis revealed that members of the experimental group who saw themselves as more attractive after enhancing their own photos donated up to twice as much as members of the control group.
The study experiments also included questionnaires and online tests on Facebook, including questions about participants’ favorite fashion and architectural styles, and imagining themselves in elegant outfits at high-end social events.
Experiment results
At the end of the experiment, a pop-up window appeared with a link to a donation page.
About 7% of those who answered the “beauty” questionnaire clicked on the donation link, compared with 2% of those who answered the architecture questionnaire.
“Our society is obsessed with physical appearance while simultaneously criticizing this superficial behavior,” said Dr. Natalie Kononov, who led the study.
“People who focus on appearance are often judged harshly, but we show that this behaviour can have positive side effects for others,” she continued.
