Physical attractiveness is known to help people get ahead, but a new study by an American psychologist has found out that a glamorous self-presentation harmed businesswomen.
"A female manager whose appearance emphasised her sexiness elicited less positive emotions," and evoked hostile emotions and were deemed less intelligent, according to the study published in the December issue of Psychology of Women Quarterly.
Short skirts, high heels, and sexy low-cut blouses put off co-workers and hurt the careers of those women managers who wear them, says the study.
But this negative effect was limited to women in high status positions and not others like receptionists who wear suggestive clothing, the study by Peter Glick, a professor of Psychology at Lawrence University in Appleton in Wisconsin, said.
The study consisted in showing male and female participants a video of a businesswoman discussing her general background and hobbies. The scripts and actress remained the same, but her dress and job changed.
The 'sexiness' manipulation had no effect on judgments of or emotions toward the receptionist. In contrast, the sexy manager was viewed as less competent as compared to her neutrally attired/more typically professionally dressed counterpart.
"Although various media directed toward women encourage women to emphasise their sex appeal, our results suggest that women in high status occupations may have to resist this siren call to obtain the respect of their co-workers," the authors concluded.