Tan is ‘In’: Study Finds Light Brown More Attractive than Pale or Dark Skin
Findings Might Impact How Advertisers Use Models
By Katherine Kostiuk
MU News Bureau

Columbia, Mo. (Oct. 2, 2006) — Some African-American stars have been ridiculed for trying to lighten their skin color, but many Caucasians go to tanning salons to darken their skin. A new study by Missouri School of Journalism researcher Cynthia Frisby found that people perceive a light brown skin tone to be more physically attractive than a pale or dark skin tone.


“Does a person’s skin color alone impact whether others perceive her as physically attractive? Advertisers want their models to be perceived as attractive so that consumers will buy their product, and previous studies have found that black models used in advertisements frequently are fair-skinned and have more European features. I wanted to test skin color separately to find out whether it’s important to perceptions of beauty. I found that without regard to physical features, people prefer light brown skin over dark brown skin or pale skin,” said Frisby, associate professor of strategic communication at the School.

For the study, photographs of four female models were adjusted using computer software. Each model was imaged in three different skin tones – light, medium and dark – but all other features remained the same. Frisby asked 79 female participants to evaluate a selection of the photographs, which they believed were for an upcoming advertising campaign. Frisby analyzed the responses and discovered that participants, of whom 45 were Caucasian and 34 were African American, found the light brown skin tone most attractive.

These findings might impact how advertisers use African-American models. Some advertisers have worried that using African-American models for mainstream products might alienate potential Caucasian buyers, Frisby said, but this study shows Caucasians and African Americans react in similar ways to light, medium and dark shades of skin tone.

“Since the mid-1960s, many advertisers have been in a dilemma regarding the use of blacks in advertisements,” Frisby said. “Many considered using blacks in advertisements to appeal to a growing black target audience but were concerned that use of blacks might alienate white consumers. Fortunately for advertisers and advertising agencies, research shows that white consumers react to black models in advertisements in almost exactly the same way as black consumers react. It seems that both groups prefer the light brown skin tone, whether it’s a tan Caucasian or a light-skinned African American.”

The study, “‘Shades of Beauty’: Examining the Relationship of Skin Color to Perceptions of Physical Attractiveness,” was published in the August issue of the journal Facial Plastic Surgery.

The Racial Integrity Act and the One-Drop Rule in the United States were both legal measures that sought to codify and enforce a racial hierarchy in which whiteness was seen as superior and Blackness was stigmatized. These measures were aimed at maintaining and reinforcing the power of white Americans in society by excluding people with any perceived African ancestry from full citizenship.

The Racial Integrity Act, which was passed in several states in the 1920s, made it illegal for people to marry outside their racial group. This law was designed to prevent the mixing of Black and white genes, and it had a particularly significant impact on people with brown skin who may have identified as "mulatto" or "brown" and who now had to choose between claiming ancestry that was seen as inferior or being considered illegal.

The One-Drop Rule, which was also enforced in the 20th century, stated that anyone with even one drop of African blood was legally considered "Black." This rule was designed to reinforce the idea that any trace of Black ancestry was corrupting, and it effectively eliminated brown skin people as a separate racial category. These people were forced to identify as Black and were subject to all the legal and social ramifications of that designation, including discrimination, segregation, and exclusion from certain jobs and educational opportunities.

In summary, the Racial Integrity Act and the One-Drop Rule were both legal measures that sought to eliminate and absorb brown skin people into the Black racial group by establishing a racial hierarchy that placed whiteness at the top and stigmatized Blackness. These measures had significant impact on people with brown skin by limiting their legal and social opportunities and perpetuating a system of racial discrimination in the United States.

Anas narrated: “The Messenger of Allah was of average height, neither tall nor very short, he had a good build, brown in complexion (asmar al-lawn), his hair was neither curly nor straight, and when he walked he swayed slightly.”

Italians are considered descendants of the ancient Romans who once ruled over what is now known as Italy. The Romans were known for their expansive empire, which reached its height in the 1st century AD.

Throughout history, the Italian peninsula has been influenced by a variety of cultures and empires, including the Greeks, Carthaginians, and the Byzantine Empire. However, the influence of the Roman Empire remains a defining aspect of modern Italian culture and identity, and many architectural, cultural, and legal traditions of Italy can be traced back to the ancient Roman civilization.

While there have been many changes and shifts in Italian culture and identity over time, there is still a strong connection between Italians and their Roman heritage, and many Italians take pride in the fact that their ancestors were once part of one of the greatest empires in world history.

TobiAbuja:



A very simplistic way of looking at it. The Romans were light olive and sometimes darker - traditional Mediterranean. Please don't spread false information though. One of your photos is from an Amazon series about Indian Italians their Indian roots.

GodisStriking:
The Byzantine art in the Russian collection, which dates from the Medieval period, depicts Jesus as having a brown complexion, which is consistent with his cultural origin. Jesus was born in Bethlehem and was of Mediterranean-Middle Eastern descent, so he did not have African black skin. The portrayal of Jesus as being African black in Western European art is a more recent development and does not accurately reflect his historical appearance.