The Marilyn Effect 👱🏽‍♀️

The Marilyn effect refers to the psychological phenomenon where an individual's attractiveness is perceived to increase when they are surrounded by “less attractive” individuals. Named after Marilyn Monroe, this effect suggests that a person's relative attractiveness can be enhanced by their context, rather than their intrinsic physical features alone. This concept is related to social comparison theory and highlights how our perceptions are influenced by those around us. The Marilyn effect demonstrates that beauty can be partly situational, relying on contrast with others.