Physical appearance may help candidates win elections, but it appears to have little bearing on how they govern once in office, according to new research that challenges the notion that more attractive politicians behave differently from their peers.
The study found that while voters may be influenced by a candidate's appearance at the ballot box, elected officials generally pursue similar policy agendas and legislative priorities as colleagues with comparable political views, according to an NDTV report.
The research, titled “The Beauty Premium in Politics? Perceptions and Political Behavior,” published in the European Journal of Political Economy, found no evidence that more attractive politicians were more likely to engage in rent-seeking behaviour or deviate from the preferences of their constituents. Nor did the researchers find meaningful differences in legislative behaviour, ideological positions or policy preferences based on physical appearance.
For decades, scholars have examined whether attractive candidates enjoy an electoral advantage. Previous research has shown that voters often associate good-looking candidates with traits such as competence, intelligence and trustworthiness, giving them an edge, particularly in competitive races.
