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Facial Plast Surg 2022; 38(03): 279-284
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1741110
Original Research

Social Perception of Self-Enhanced Photographs

Keon M. Parsa 
1   Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia
,
Karina Charipova
2   Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia
,
Eugenia Chu
1   Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia
,
Michael J. Reilly
1   Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia
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Abstract

The use of appearance manipulating applications on our smartphones has increased in popularity. As the aim of this study is to determine the impact of self-directed appearance manipulation on perceptions of personality and examine the influence of respondent age and gender on the various personality domains. This cross-sectional cohort study included 20 subjects between the ages of 18 to 34 who had headshots taken and were provided an introduction on the use of the Facetune2 app. After 1 week of engaging in digital appearance manipulation, subjects submitted their self-determined most attractive edited photograph. Four surveys were constructed with 10 sets of photographs each. Each of these surveys were then sent to lay people via a web-based survey tool. Anonymous blinded respondents used a 7-point Likert scale to rate their perception of each patient's aggressiveness, likeability, sociability, trustworthiness, attractiveness, authenticity, and masculinity or femininity. A multivariate linear mixed effect model was applied to analyze the overall patient trait data as well as to assess the impact of rater age and gender. A total of 288 respondents (mean age range, 25–34 years [43%]; 202 [70%] female) completed a survey. Overall, digitally enhanced photographs were perceived as more attractive (0.22; 95% CI, 0.06–0.38). Analysis based on gender of the study subjects revealed increased attractiveness scores for men (0.19; 95% CI, 0.07–0.33). Females were also perceived as being more attractive (0.16; 95% CI, 0.03–0.40), but less authentic (−0.24; 95% CI, −0.36 to −0.12). Females rated enhanced photographs of men as less masculine (−0.23; 95% CI, −0.46 to −0.04). Raters aged 35 to 64 rated altered photos as less attractive (0.31; 95% CI, 0.09–0.52), authentic (0.20; 95% CI, 0.01–0.38), and gender enhancing (0.42; 95% CI, 0.24–0.61) compared with individuals aged 18 to 34. Patients and surgeons should be aware of the ways in which self-enhanced photographs may affect social perception.

Keywords

selfie - Facetune - attractiveness - authenticity - appearance manipulation


Publication History

Article published online:
29 December 2021

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