For traits such as intelligence, believing you can change yourself for the better is a good thing. Not so for appearance
Feb 12, 2015
| | Believing that we can change a trait for the better tends to be self-fulfilling, and vice versa. People who contend that intelligence or creativity cannot be improved, for example, tend to develop less in these areas than those who think these facets are malleable. This finding holds in a variety of settings [], which has led many to conclude that having a growth mind-set is an unconditionally good thing. Yet beliefs about beauty have now emerged as the first notable exception to this trend, according to two studies reported last October in .
Researchers at Oklahoma State University found that women with malleable beliefs about beauty—for instance, believing they could become more beautiful with effort—had a higher risk for appearance-related anxiety and were more likely to base their self-worth on their looks, as compared with those who have fixed beauty beliefs. They were also more likely to express interest in cosmetic surgery. The effects were not found among men.
Whether a malleable belief is beneficial or not may depend on how realistic the pursuit is. Beauty ideals typically presented in media images—young, thin and photoshopped to be flawless—are unattainable for most women. “Prior research has shown that malleable beliefs increase motivation, which is good if we are talking about being motivated to stay in school or improve one's math skills,” says study co-author Melissa Burkley, a professor of social psychology. “But when the domain is as unrealistic as the beauty standards we have for women today, increasing motivation may lead to harmful behaviors.”
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