The 'Cheerleader Effect'; Group VS individual

     The "cheerleader effect", reffered to in the popular TV show how i met your mother, is a theory that being in a group gives the illusion of being more attractive. The author of the article Gauging the "Cheerleader Effect" discuses psychology, and what attracts us to particular people.The article suggests that walking in a group may actually be a good dating strategy. The text shows you how many people feel towards one another, and how we judge based on not only on physical appearance, but also the appearance of those around us. (hence the name; because cheerleaders often walk around in a group)

      The author proclaims that  "When shown in a group (whether big or small), the same person was rated as more attractive then when he or she appeared alone in a picture." This clearly shows that if you are alone in a photo, you will be judged more harshly than when you are with others. This seems rather unfair to me. Is it right that part of our initial assessment of a stranger is based on the looks of not only the appearance of the person him/herself, but of those AROUND HIM/HER? It seems that the author of the article is almost advising us to move around in, groups as to appear more attractive. I think that it is unfair, that we judge people in this way, and that it should not be encouraged.

    On their own, an observer is able to spot all our faults and physical shortcomings, however,  when in a group, the brain blurs each person together. "The researchers think that the brain is melding together the groups facial features into a composite average, mentally Photoshopping out all then idiosyncrasies that become obvious when examining just one persons face." We can conclude from this that the brain does not view each person as an individual, rather, it view each member of the group as only part of a whole. This is not at all a good thing, and not something that we should be taking advantage of. Instead of focussing on individual characteristics, we are only trying to see who looks better than those around them in a group. This is an instinct that, while natural, is not something we should use as a dating method. We should remember that everyone has their shortcomings, thats what makes us HUMAN. Perhaps this 'cheerleader effect' was once used to find the best available mate in a group of women, but today, in a more civilized age it is important to look at the individual.