The response on the latest Beauty Brains Beauty Science or BS poll has been great. Unfortunately, most of you got the answer wrong. Here is the science behind the stories.
Looking at pictures of blond women can make you less smart - TRUE
An overwhelming majority of you thought this was the fake beauty science but in fact, it is real. According to this study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, test subjects scored worse on Trivial-pursuit type questions when they first looked at photos of blond women. Interestingly, the effect was the same on both men and women. Looking at photos of other hair-colored women didn’t have the same negative effect.
Your hair can be used to predict exactly what city you live in - FAKE
Only 14% of you correctly figured out that this one was a little too good to be true. It was actually based on a recent story that said you can identify where a person has been based on the isotopes of water found in their hair. It’s fake because while you can identify where a person was it is not so accurate that you can tell what city they’ve been in. As one researcher said, “You can tell the difference between Utah and Texas, but you may not be able to distinguish between Chicago and Kansas City.”
Thieves steal hair to sell on the black market - TRUE
This story was only chosen by 16% of you but it is true. Unfortunately, a couple of thieves in Brazil recently attacked a woman and cut off her waist length hair with a machete. When sold, this hair could fetch as much as $500. Apparently, this happens every so often in Brazil. So, if you’re traveling there make sure you hide your long hair.
Thanks to everyone who voted. If you didn’t get it this time, don’t fret. We’ll have another quiz coming soon.
Did you know that the new Beauty Brains Book has a whole section devoted to the Beauty Science or BS quiz? Click here to learn more about the Beauty Brains Book.
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Tonya Says:
This is really hard to belive!!! It must be a psychological effect. We’ve been conditioned to think that blondes are dumb so we react to that. I can’t see that there is any direct physical reason for this anamoly. Is there a particular hair color for a person, so when we see a picture of a person with that hair color we become smarter?
thebeautybrains Says:
Yeah, it’s definitely a psychological effect. According to the article it is just as you say. People naturally think that blondes are dumb (as society reinforces) and they hypothesize that people taking tests only manage to live up to the competition. Other hair colors tested did not showing a dumbing effect.
That is a fabulously interesting question as to what hair color would make people become smarter. hmmm.
Overall, the study is a bit sketchy if you ask me. But I’ve never put much faith in the things that people in the field of psychology “learn”. It is not a hard science like physics or chemistry. Everything is so dependent on the people being tested that I’m skeptical of their conclusions.
Left Brain
Janis Says:
I’d like to see a test like this done that shows everyone various pictures of women and men. They never seem to do that, and I think the comparison might be interesting.
Left Brain Says:
I guess men are just less interesting than women. Or maybe it’s men that make these studies. hmmm.
Janis Says:
Or maybe it’s men that make these studies.
I’ll pick Door #2, Monty. I don’t know too many women who’d retain a lot of intellectual acumen after looking at Jamie Bamber or Brad Pitt.