How to win an Oscar (according to science): Researchers say being an American actor in a film that portrays American culture is the key to success

Researchers investigated 908 merit prize winners from Oscars and BAFTAs
Found actors more likely to win Oscar if they're American in an American role
And, British actors were found to be more likely to win in the BAFTAs
Suggests viewers favor performance when they share social group with actor

Published: 13:41 EST, 6 February 2017 | Updated: 14:18 EST, 6 February 2017

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Winning an Oscar isn't all about acting ability.

While the awards claim they recognize the top performances from around the world, a new study has found that you're more likely to win an Oscar if you're an American acting in a film that portrays American culture.

And, the same applies to London's BAFTAs, with British actors more likely to take home an award.

Researchers say the trend suggests viewers are more likely to perceive a performance as 'truly brilliant' if they are members of the same social group as the actor.

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While the awards claim they recognize the top performances from around the world, a study found that you're more likely to win an Oscar if you're an American acting in a film that portrays American culture. Leonardo DiCaprio poses with the Oscar for Best Actor, The Revenant

WHAT THEY FOUND

The team found that when the performer and judge shared membership within a particular social group – for example, being American – the actor was more likely to win.

American actors were found to win 52 percent of all BAFTAS, but 69 percent of all Oscars.

And, British actors won just 18 percent of all Oscars, but 34 percent of BAFTAs.

American actors received 67 percent of Oscar nominations, but won 78 percent of the awards.

And, British actors received 31 percent of all BAFTA nominations, but won 42 percent of the awards.

Subject matter played a role, too, according to the researchers.

In the Oscars, Americans who performed in films about non-US culture accounted for just 26 percent of the award winners.

But, those who performed in films about American culture made up 88 percent of the winners.

It can be seen, perhaps most famously, in the case of Leonardo DiCaprio, who finally won a long-awaited Oscar last year for his role in The Revenant, which follows the story of an American frontiersman.

But, the trend also stretches back throughout the years.

In 2014, Matthew McConaughey won an Oscar for his role in Dallas Buyers Club, and Jennifer Lawrence took an award home the year before for Silver Linings Playbook.

Daniel Day-Lewis won an Oscar in 2008 for his role in There Will be Blood.

The findings come from a new study published in the British Journal of Psychology.

The team investigated a total of 908 merit prize winners: 97 winners and 383 nominees for the Oscars, and 97 winners and 331 nominees for the BAFTAs.

Overall, they found that US actors dominated the awards, claiming over 50 percent of the prizes across the Oscars and BAFTAs.

But, they also noted a trend within social groups.

When the performer and judge shared membership within a particular social group – for example, being American – the actor was more likely to win.

American actors were found to win 52 percent of all BAFTAS, but 69 percent of all Oscars.

And, British actors won just 18 percent of all Oscars, but 34 percent of BAFTAs.

The team investigated a total of 908 merit prize winners: 97 winners and 383 nominees for the Oscars, and 97 winners and 331 nominees for the BAFTAs. Picture, Jennifer Lawrence poses with her award for Best Actress, Silver Linings Playbook

'We know a lot about the factors that increase people's capacity to show exceptional performances,' said Dr Niklas K Steffens, from the School of Psychology at the University of Queensland.

'However, a somewhat different question is what makes a given creative performance likely to be seen as exceptional.

'This was the question we addressed in this research.

'These results show that whether we see a given performance as extraordinary is not just a function of the objective quality of that performance.

'For perceivers are much more likely to recognize a performance as truly brilliant when perceivers and performers share membership in a social group.'

When the performer and judge shared membership within a particular social group the actor was more likely to win. Matthew McConaughey is shown on left with his award for his role in Dallas Buyers Club. On right, Reese Witherspoon is pictured for her role in Walk the Line

The researchers say nationality made a difference among those who actually won awards.

American actors received 67 percent of Oscar nominations, but won 78 percent of the awards.

And, British actors received 31 percent of all BAFTA nominations, but won 42 percent of the awards.

Subject matter played a role, too, according to the researchers.

In the Oscars, Americans who performed in films about non-US culture accounted for just 26 percent of the award winners.

Americans those who performed in films about American culture made up 88 percent of the winners. Daniel Day-Lewis poses with his award for Best Actor In A Leading Role for his performance in 'There Will Be Blood'

But, those who performed in films about American culture made up 88 percent of the winners.

'Shared social group membership becomes even more important when the diagnostic value of a quality indicator increases – that is, when we establish whether something is not just excellent but outstanding,' Dr Steffens said.

'In this case, American actors win two out of three of all Oscar nominations but almost four out of five of all Oscar awards.

'There is a widespread belief that our perception of [what] makes a creation original and outsanding is given by its objective qualities, but in fact it is heavily influenced by the social groups we are members of, and which provide the basis for making sense of the world.'