In the World of Plastics: How Thinking Style Influences Preference for Cosmetic Surgery

The world of cosmetic surgery offers a variety of procedures designed to “enhance” specific body parts. While some consumers are adamantly against such procedures, others seem inherently drawn to them. What type of consumer is most likely to undergo cosmetic procedures? The current research examines whether individual differences in holistic and analytic thinking affect preferences for cosmetic procedures. Across 5 behavioral and eye-tracking studies, we find that analytic thinking increases openness to cosmetic procedures. Analytic thinking leads to a hyper-focusing effect that drives dissatisfaction with certain body parts, which increases the likelihood of endorsing and undergoing procedures to alter that particular body part. Marketing and consumer-related implications for these effects are provided.