Glasses make people appear less intelligent and attractive: study (2024)

Glasses make people appear less intelligent and attractive: study (1)

Wearing glasses to make yourself seem smarter? You may want to consider tossing those fake glasses, or trading in your prescription ones for contacts.

A new study published in Cureus by researchers from the University of Jordan found that people who wear glasses are perceived to be less intelligent, less confident and less attractive.

Researchers gathered 517 college-age people in Jordan — 66.9% who didn’t wear glasses and 33.1% who did — to find out how wearing glasses affects self-esteem measures.

The participants were shown photos of four people both with and without glasses — a total of eight photos — and were asked to rate the attractiveness, confidence and intelligence of the people in the photos on a scale of 1 to 10.

Results showed that the images of people without glasses ranked higher than those with glasses. The participants who did wear glasses tended to give higher scores to the pictures of people with glasses, but those who didn’t wear glasses did not do the same with images without glasses.

The study also noted that certain factors weren’t taken into consideration when determining attractiveness, including the frame of the eyeglasses and facial features.

The researchers hope that this study will encourage people who actually need glasses to wear them.

“Sight correction with eyeglasses carries associated social and personality effects on the wearer,” the study said. “Studying these effects may provide an insight into how to increase compliance with these corrective devices.”

About 75% of adults worldwide use some sort of vision corrective products, and 64% of them wear glasses, according to the Vision Council.

However, the study suggests that not everyone agrees with Western standards of fashion, and results differ based on cultural associations with eyeglasses.

“The effect of eyeglasses has a different impact on the social traits of wearers, depending on social and ethnic variables,” the study says.

The research notes that this particular study was done on Jordanian college students of Arabian ethnicity, and previous studies done in Western populations had conflicting results.

“Compared to Western studies where eyeglasses have a positive impact on the intelligence image of a person, our study that included participants of Arabian ethnicities rated images with glasses with lower intelligence scores compared to images without glasses, which might represent a sort of social stigma related to wearing glasses among Jordanians,” researchers wrote.

However, previous studies “assessing the impact of eyeglasses on self-image showed the negative impact of eyeglasses on attractiveness,” which mirrors the findings of this study.

Glasses make people appear less intelligent and attractive: study (2024)

FAQs

Do people look more or less attractive with glasses? ›

The participants rate the faces with and without wearing the glasses frames with the 7-point Likert scales on the included perceptual measures. The results show that wearing the glasses frames does generally improve facial symmetry. However, the facial attractiveness is not enhanced accordingly.

Is it scientifically proven that people with glasses are smarter? ›

Although there is no evidence to prove that people who wear glasses are smarter, however, wearing glasses will certainly make other people think that you are smarter.

Do eyeglasses have an effect on intelligence perceptions? ›

While our study showed a negative impact of wearing eyeglasses on intelligence rating, studies on western populations found a positive impact on intelligence perception for images and people wearing eyeglasses, where this variability is probably due to different cultural associations with wearing eyeglasses,” the ...

Is there a correlation between glasses and IQ? ›

Are people who wear glasses actually smarter? The answer is yes… and no. Research suggests a link between myopia (nearsightedness) and higher than average IQs. However, not everyone who wears glasses has myopia.

What is the psychology behind wearing glasses? ›

Eyeglasses can significantly influence perceptions and first impressions. According to a study published in the Swiss Journal of Psychology, people who wear glasses are often perceived as more intelligent, trustworthy, and industrious.

Why do most geniuses wear glasses? ›

More than simply a pop culture label, the link between glasses and intelligence has gained serious traction after researchers from the University of Edinburgh found that people with higher levels of intelligence are 30% more likely to possess genes linked to poor eyesight.

Did Albert Einstein wear glasses? ›

Eyeglasses that make the man

Albert Einstein: The German-born physicist and Nobel Prize winner was best known for his massive mind and unkempt mane, but the genius also wore clear round plastic frames that hung low, as if he couldn't be bothered to get them fitted.

What percentage of smart people wear glasses? ›

The link between glasses and intelligence

According to a large study of over 300,000 people, people with higher cognitive function are 28 percent more likely to need corrective lenses, and 32 percent likelier to be shortsighted.

What do you call a person who wears glasses? ›

You could say “he is myopic” to mean nearsighted but that doesn't necessarily imply glasses are being worn, and has a somewhat literary or medical connotation. “Bespectacled” works but is also pretty fancy; good for literary writing but odd in conversation. Would usually say “he wears glasses” in conversation.

Do glasses help depth perception? ›

While good vision with both eyes (binocular vision) is required for true depth perception, individuals with only one good seeing eye can still have some depth perception. Prescription glasses won't improve depth perception, but are important for some people to see their best.

Should I wear glasses while studying? ›

1.50 degrees: Should wear glasses often to avoid affecting work and daily life 2.00 degrees: It is mandatory to wear glasses when studying and working Above 3.00 degrees: It is a severe case of nearsightedness, if not using glasses, the eyes will constantly adjust. to see more clearly, leading to a rapid increase in ...

What is the meaning of the word myopia? ›

Nearsightedness (myopia) is a common vision condition in which near objects appear clear, but objects farther away look blurry. It occurs when the shape of the eye — or the shape of certain parts of the eye — causes light rays to bend (refract) inaccurately.

Is short sighted a medical condition? ›

Short-sightedness, or myopia, is a common eye condition that causes distant objects to appear blurred, while close objects can be seen clearly. If you think you or your child may be short-sighted, you should book an eye test at a local opticians.

Do glasses affect appearance? ›

Does wearing glasses affect the appearance of your face? Upon purchasing new glasses, you notice that your facial features look different. Is that a sign that wearing glasses will change your face's appearance? However, the facts indicate that wearing glasses does not change how your face appears.

Do glasses make a difference in appearance? ›

It depends on the combination of your face shape and glasses shape, which can make your face wider or narrower. The type of frame you wear also alters the width of your face; because of that, some people think glasses change how their faces look.

Do guys find glasses more attractive? ›

A lot of men consider a pair of shades on a woman as classy drawing attention to what has quite commonly been considered as the 'windows to the soul'. Men like the visual variety in women. Wearing glasses often evokes a subtle intrigue in a relationship.

Do glasses make people look different? ›

Very often the glasses are a fashion item for the face, having an effect. Lenses for farsightedness are magnifying lenses so they change how the eyes look, bigger. Lenses for nearsighted people are minifying lenses so they make the eyes look smaller.

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