Words: Jonathan Wells
Let’s all be honest for a second – nobody looks forward to the day that they look into the bathroom mirror and realise that they’re going bald. An ever growing spot at the back of your head, thinner hair or two more inches of visible forehead are not reasons to celebrate.
Or are they?
A new study, by the reassuringly-masculine sounding Dr Frank Muscarella at the less-than-legitimate sounding Barry University, says that bald men, for all their follicular shortcomings, are perceived as more intelligent, dominant and sexy than those with hair.
An extensive survey asked the public to rate a selection of men in four categories – physical attractiveness, aggressiveness, appeasement, and social maturity – which included factors such as honesty, intelligence, and social status.
Muscarella and his research team found that people generally perceive bald men as more honest, clever and dominant.
“It could be speculated that although the characteristic of baldness decreases a man’s perceived physical attractiveness a little, it increases his perceived social dominance,” Muscarella said.
“Studies have shown baldness in men is seen as a non-threatening form of social dominance. There is a large body of literature that shows that although women are very attracted to signs of high social dominance.”
So there you have it. Baldness may be a blessing in disguise…
Become a Gentleman’s Journal Member?
Like the Gentleman’s Journal? Why not join the Clubhouse, a special kind of private club where members receive offers and experiences from hand-picked, premium brands. You will also receive invites to exclusive events, the quarterly print magazine delivered directly to your door and your own membership card.
