Cheerleader Effect: Perceived Beauty

The Cheerleader Effect is a visual illusion, where people appear more attractive in a group, rather than when seen alone.

It works similar to the Ebbinghaus Illusion, where a medium-sized dot appears larger in front of smaller dots, or the Moon Illusion, where the moon seems larger on the horizon.

What we see is not a direct reflection of reality, but depends upon context, expectations, and previous information.