Ninety-seven participants (52 women, 45 men) were divided into two groups. Participants in the positive contrast condition were exposed to photographs of highly attractive men and women prior to rating photographs of target stimuli of average physical attractiveness. Participants in the negative contrast condition were exposed to photographs of unattractive men and women prior to rating photographs of target stimuli of average physical attractiveness. After rating the target stimuli, participants in both groups rated their own level of physical attractiveness. Participants in the positive contrast condition rated target stimuli of average attractiveness significantly lower in physical attractiveness than did participants in the negative contrast condition. The tendency for participants in the negative contrast condition to rate their own level of physical attractiveness higher than did participants in the positive contrast condition approached, but did not reach, significance. The tendency for female participants to rate the target stimuli higher in attractiveness than male participants was marginally significant. Results suggest the influence of the media on our conceptions of beauty.