Scientists have confirmed the existence of the 'ugly friend effect', a phenomenon where being seen with less attractive companions makes you appear more appealing to others. The study, published in the journal Psychological Science, found that people rated faces as more attractive when they were shown alongside plainer-looking individuals.
Researchers asked participants to rate the attractiveness of faces in photographs. When the same faces were later presented flanked by less attractive photos, the original ratings increased. The effect also sharpened observers' critical faculties, making them more discerning in their judgments of attractive people.
Lead researcher Dr Nicholas Furl said: 'We found that the presence of a distractor face makes differences between attractive people more obvious and that observers start to pull apart these differences, making them even more particular in their judgment.'
The concept gained prominence with the 2015 film 'The Duff', which stands for 'designated ugly fat friend'. While some may find the strategy unethical, the study suggests that having an unsightly wingman or wingwoman could be key to dating success.
