Work

(A)symmetries in beauty-status exchange: Spousal relative income and partners’ BMI (at) during marriage

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Beauty-status exchange, while extensively researched as a static concept at match formation, received very little to no attention as a dynamic phenomenon that can occur during marriage. Prior research typically relied on absolute income measures, while theoretically relative ones capture exchange better. This study addresses these gaps by examining the existence, extent and nature of the dynamic “beauty-status exchange” as compared to the static one. Using PSID data (1999–2019; 3,744 couples) this is the first study to analyse changes in physical attractiveness (approximated by BMI) in response to relative income shifts. The results reveal asymmetrical, gendered exchange patterns at marriage selection, however, during marriage, the effects are symmetrical: increase in one spouse’s relative income is associated with a lower BMI in the other, as well as a reduced log odds of being overweight or obese. This income shift is linked to greater physical activity in the other spouse, suggesting purposeful behavioural adjustments. Finally, heterogeneity analyses show the beauty - status exchange is concentrated among highly educated women: the negative association between women’s BMI and obesity likelihood, and her relative income is significantly steeper for collage educated women. Conversely, the negative association between wives’ relative income and husbands’ BMI is attenuated or reversed among college-educated men, suggesting that in dual-career, high-skill men, rising spousal income may increase work incentives and shift investments away from appearance. • Beauty-status exchange has been analysed as static concept during match formation • First study to examine dynamic beauty-status exchange after marriage • This research additionally uses relative income measure to capture exchange better • Unlike the static one, dynamic beauty-status exchange is symmetrical across genders • Increase in relative income links to partner’s BMI decrease and exercise increase

Source: Economics & Human Biology

DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2025.101543

Author: Joanna Syrda

Institution: University of Bath

Language: English

Topic: Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior

Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,290