Physical Attractiveness, Social Media Activity, and Electoral Outcomes: Evidence from the 2021 German Federal Election

Abstract Research shows that (1) political candidates active on social media perform better in elections, (2) candidates who are more attractive than others enjoy a vote premium in elections, and (3) individuals and politicians who are more attractive than others are generally more successful on social media. This study investigates whether the electoral advantage of beauty is moderated by candidates’ social media use. Theoretically, mechanisms commonly used to explain the electoral benefits of attractiveness (i.e., cognitive biases, favorable media coverage, and better campaign performance) may also account for differences in social media visibility between more and less attractive candidates, alongside platform-specific dynamics. Empirical analysis draws on candidate data covering all 2021 German federal election constituency candidates of major parties ( N = 1785), supplemented with independent physical attractiveness ratings. The analyses hint at a larger electoral return to physical attractiveness among candidates active on social media than among nonusers. This amplification effect is particularly pronounced for Facebook, suggesting that platform-specific environments shape how appearance translates into electoral advantage.