Why you think your friends look better togetherThe surprising visual trick behind flattering group photos.

From the show

Brain Perception Illusions

This cognitive shortcut explains why individuals seem more attractive when they're part of a crowd. Your visual system automatically computes an 'average' face from any group you see. This composite smooths out asymmetries, making it more appealing than most individual faces. Each person in the group is then perceptually biased toward this more attractive average. This phenomenon, known as the Cheerleader Effect, has consequences for everything from dating app profiles to marketing campaigns.