Beauty pays but does investment in beauty?

Artikel

Being beautiful gives a person an advantage in many settings. Attractive people earn more and have an easier time getting hired. People spend large amounts of money on goods and services to enhance their beauty. Is this enhancement worth pursuing? Research suggests that the expected improvement in beauty from these goods and services is limited. Therefore, despite the large returns from having an attractive appearance, the cost-effectiveness of investment in beauty enhancement is ambiguous. For the average person, the monetary benefits of plastic surgery, medical treatments to increase height, and expensive clothing are not worth the cost.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Journal: IZA World of Labor ; ISSN: 2054-9571 ; Year: 2015 ; Bonn: Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft
• Subject: beauty premium ; plastic surgery ; physical attractiveness ; discrimination ; height

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Lee, Soohyung
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)
• (where): Bonn
• (when): 2015

Further information

• DOI: doi:10.15185/izawol.198
• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/125421
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:42 AM CET