10 Signs You're Better Looking Than You Think
1. The Below Average Effect
How do you measure your own attractiveness? Many people judge their attractiveness by comparing themselves to other people. Who better to compare yourself to than your closest friends? If you want to know how attractive you really are, just take a look at your friends. Are they attractive people? Do you feel like the least attractive person in your friend group?
A 1999 study from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology discovered something called the below average effect. This psychological bias convinces us that we are worse at something than we actually are. Let's say you're going skiing with your friends, but your friends are all Olympic athletes. By comparison, you feel like you're the worst skier in the world. But are you really? This is the below average effect in action. When you see how talented everyone else is, you judge yourself more harshly than you should.
Let's change the scenario. This time, you go skiing with a bunch of amateurs. What happens then? You feel like you're the best of the bunch, right? You judge yourself favorably because you're comparing yourself to less experienced athletes. The below average effect works the same way with your attractive friends. If you only compare yourself to attractive individuals, you'll feel worse about your appearance. But the only reason you feel unattractive is because you're surrounded by good-looking people.
2. The Whole Package
Can non-physical characteristics make you more attractive? Attractiveness is far less physical than people think. Just take a look at many of the most popular celebrities. Countless people fawn over their good looks, but if you stripped away the glitz and glamour, they may be exceedingly average looking. So, why do we find these celebrities so attractive?
They're attractive because of their personalities and achievements. Even if their looks are lackluster, non-physical traits can make you one of the world's most attractive people. Don't think of yourself in terms of body weight, height, or shape. Those things matter, but non-physical traits leave a much greater impact on anyone you meet.
If you want to get an accurate understanding of your attractiveness, then analyze the whole package. Look at everything you bring to the table. Think about your talents and passions. Think about your achievements and successes. Think about the reasons why your friends and partners adore you. Because those non-physical traits can turn an average-looking person into someone extraordinary.
3. Vocal Attraction
Your voice may be one of your most attractive traits. This comes from a 2015 study in the Journal of Evolution and Human Behavior. Researchers investigated the unique relationship between vocal tones and physical attraction. Here's what they found: your voice has a huge impact on how attractive other people think you are.
An appealing voice may be able to change an unattractive face into an attractive one. In this study, male participants rated the attractiveness of female faces and female voices. It turns out the highest-rated faces also had the highest-rated voices. What does this mean for you? An attractive voice can skyrocket your physical attractiveness.
4. Limbal Rings
Take a look at the mirror. Look closely at your eyes. Is there a black ring around the outside of your irises? This ring is called a limbal ring. Believe it or not, it's one of the most commonly overlooked signs of physical attraction. Your limbal ring acts as a barrier between your colored iris and the whites of your eyes, also known as the sclera.
The small black ring emphasizes the colors of your iris, making your eyes look brighter and bolder. A study from the University of California at Irvine found that limbal rings can make or break an attractive face. In this study, participants rated the attractiveness of both male and female faces. Some faces had strong limbal rings, while others didn't.
Which faces do you think received the highest ratings? Faces with prominent limbal rings significantly outperformed their counterparts. It turns out the eyes are widely considered the most attractive facial features on both men and women. Eyes can be beautiful, enchanting, and mysterious. They show everything from kindness to intensity, and limbal rings create an even stronger emotional impact.
5. Social Discomfort
Can social cues tell you how attractive you are? There are several social signals that give away your good looks, but one is by far the most common. If you're an attractive person, situations like this may happen to you on a daily basis.
Let's say you're standing on the street corner when a stranger walks up next to you. You wave and say hello. Now, there's no reason the conversation needs to be awkward, but it always is. You may get a strange feeling that people act weird around you. They seem nervous, standoffish, and insecure, and you can't figure out why.
Well, I'll tell you why. It's because you're more attractive than you realize. They're awkward and jittery because we get nervous around people we find attractive. Attractive people make our hearts race and our heads spin. We stammer and say the wrong things. We make a fool out of ourselves because our nerves get the best of us, and our confidence flies out the window. If people are awkward around you, it's because you're more attractive than you realize. It's true, some people are just awkward, but if it's happening more often than not, your good looks may be responsible.
6. Stylistic Satisfaction
Do you have a favorite outfit? When you get dressed up in your best clothes, how do you feel? Do you feel attractive? Do you feel confident? Your clothes play an important role in your physical attractiveness. Your style displays your personality to the world. It shows off your best features and hides your worst ones. It tells others your interests and your passions, and it speaks volumes about your lifestyle.
But what if you don't feel comfortable in your own clothes? If you don't like how you look, people will notice. If you don't feel happy with the way you're dressed, that dissatisfaction will affect your appearance and bring down your good looks. So, ask yourself a simple question: do I like how I look in my own clothes? If the answer is yes, then you're an attractive person, and the world knows it.
7. Perfect Posture
Do you pay attention to your posture? A surprising amount of people have poor posture. Over the years, they've developed a curve in their spines and a slight hunch in their backs. Poor posture has almost become a societal norm. So, when you see someone standing up straight and tall, their fantastic posture leaves a big impact. That's because perfect posture plays to your physical strengths, no matter who you are.
It makes you look taller and thinner. It puffs out your chest and rolls back your shoulders. Good posture sharpens your chin and jawline. By straightening your spine, your body takes on a whole new look. But that's not all. Good posture also affects non-physical traits. A straight spine communicates confidence and authority. You're showing attentiveness, readiness, and concentration. These traits are associated with stronger, more attractive personalities.
When people interact with you, they'll make different assumptions about who you are. You can gain respect, capture people's interest, and bolster your own attractiveness. It works just as well for men as it does for women. Studies show that both men and women prefer partners with better posture. For women, perfect posture emphasizes your hips, chest, and waist. For men, it increases your height and accentuates your chest and shoulders. So, think about your posture. How do you normally sit or stand? If you sit up straight, then you're doing your physical appearance a huge favor.
8. Rating Your Past
It's really difficult to accurately judge your appearance. We're so familiar with our faces that we lose sight of what's attractive and what isn't. But this simple trick can help you objectively measure your own attractiveness. Just find a picture of yourself from several months or even years ago.
Do you find this person attractive? Think as objectively as you can. Create distance between you and your photo. Now that you're thinking objectively, how attractive are you? If you rate your old photos highly, I've got some news for you. You're just as attractive now as you were then. And if you don't believe me, break out some recent photos and compare.
9. Drawing Eyes
How often do you make eye contact with strangers? This is another social phenomenon that attractive people frequently encounter. Humans naturally pay attention to things that we like. For example, if you see an attractive painting, you'll stare at it longer than an unattractive painting. You do the same thing with attractive people. If someone piques your interest, your eyes will be drawn toward them.
If you're an attractive person, you may feel like the world is staring at you. You catch people sneaking peaks at you. You make awkward eye contact with strangers. If you notice these subtle cues, then people are looking in your direction. Why? Because you're more attractive than you realize.
10. The Eyebrow Raise
When someone attractive looks your way, how do you feel? You get nervous, right? In this situation, some people look away immediately. They avoid eye contact, hoping the other person won't notice they were looking at them. Other people stand their ground. They continue making eye contact with you, but you can see subtle signs of attraction on their face.
For example, if they raise their eyebrows, they're surprised. They're surprised because they didn't expect you to look in their direction, but you did. So, their eyebrows fly up, their eyes widen, and a little smile brightens up their face. Pay attention the next time you make eye contact with a stranger. These tiny physical cues can tell you just how attractive you really are.
Conclusion
Attractiveness is not just about physical appearance; it's a blend of confidence, charisma, and self-awareness. Remember that you are more attractive than you think, and embrace the unique qualities that make you who you are.
Sign | Description |
---|---|
The Below Average Effect | Judging yourself more harshly than you should by comparing with attractive individuals. |
The Whole Package | Non-physical traits such as personality and achievements contribute significantly to attractiveness. |
Vocal Attraction | An appealing voice can significantly enhance perceived attractiveness. |
Limbal Rings | Prominent limbal rings in the eyes are a strong indicator of physical attraction. |