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When beauty helps and when it hurts: An organizational context model of attractiveness discrimination in selection decisions

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  • Lee, Sunyoung
  • Pitesa, Marko
  • Pillutla, Madan
  • Thau, Stefan

Abstract

We propose and test a theory explaining how and why decision makers engage in attractiveness discrimination in selection decisions. We integrate status generalization with interdependence theories and contextualize attractiveness discrimination within interdependent relationships among decision makers and candidates. Drawing on status generalization theory, we propose that decision makers associate attractiveness with competence in male but not in female candidates. We then draw on interdependence theory to propose that cooperative and competitive interdependence result in opposing patterns of attractiveness discrimination. When decision makers expect to cooperate with the candidate, they perceive attractive male candidates as more capable cooperators and discriminate in their favor. When decision makers expect to compete with the candidate, they perceive attractive male candidates as more capable competitors, and discriminate against them. Four studies, using different samples, selection tasks, manipulations of candidate attractiveness, and manipulations of interdependence, found evidence consistent with the theory.

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  • Lee, Sunyoung & Pitesa, Marko & Pillutla, Madan & Thau, Stefan, 2015. "When beauty helps and when it hurts: An organizational context model of attractiveness discrimination in selection decisions," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 15-28.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:jobhdp:v:128:y:2015:i:c:p:15-28
    DOI: 10.1016/j.obhdp.2015.02.003
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Müller, Michael, 2016. "Fördert sportliche Aktivität den beruflichen Aufstieg?," Discussion Papers of the Institute for Organisational Economics 02/2016, University of Münster, Institute for Organisational Economics.
    3. Olivier Gergaud & Victor Ginsburgh & florine Livat, 2016. "Looking Good and Looking Smart," Working Papers ECARES ECARES 2016-28, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    4. Sam Garg & Qiang John Li & Jason D. Shaw, 2019. "Entrepreneurial firms grow up: Board undervaluation, board evolution, and firm performance in newly public firms," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(11), pages 1882-1907, November.
    5. Lim, Grace J.H. & Pitesa, Marko & Vadera, Abhijeet K., 2023. "Cheating constraint decisions and discrimination against workers with lower financial standing," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    6. Katarzyna Wojtaszczyk & Marzena Syper-Jędrzejak, 2022. "Erotic capital and its role in the assessment of candidates and employees: scale development and validation," DECISION: Official Journal of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Springer;Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, vol. 49(4), pages 395-413, December.
    7. Li, Yaoqi & Zhang, Chun & Fang, Shujie, 2022. "Can beauty save service failures? The role of recovery employees’ physical attractiveness in the tourism industry," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 100-110.

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