Internet Users Prefer Stereotypical Ideas of 'Beauty'

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," as they say. Yet a recent study published in the journal PLOS One shows that for regular Internet users, stereotypical beauty is typically perceived as the most attractive. In other words, we're talking about thin women and their masculine male counterparts.

"One possibility for the difference is the level of media exposure: people with Internet access are more exposed to the media (adverts or websites), which promotes the beauty ideals of muscly men and thin feminine women," said lead study author Carlota Bartes of the University of St. Andrews in El Salvador, in a news release. 

For the study, researchers examined data from the country where around 74 percent of the population doesn't even have Internet access.

Participants were asked to rate the attractiveness of men and women based on various characteristics. They found that for those who could regularly get to a computer, the more stereotypical appearances were preferred in both genders. For non-Internet users, on the other hand, all different types were considered attractive--even more feminine looking men and heavier women.

Due to socioeconomic status, researchers believe that many are able to base their beauty standards off of what they're seeing via social media.

"One possibility is that the harshness of the environment may influence face preferences. People without Internet in the El Salvador study had fewer resources - such as no running water - and such harshness may be responsible for what they find attractive," said David Perrett, one of the study authors.

Furthermore, Perrett said he believes that evolution may also play a role in a preference for larger women in those without the Internet.

"When income and access to food is uncertain, heavier women may be better equipped to survive and reproduce and therefore preferences for heavier women could be adaptive," he added. "Our findings are consistent with previous literature that has found that heavier figures are considered more attractive in poorer and rural areas."