There’s a man across the room with big eyes and a warm smile. In an instant, we decide that not only is he hot, but he also seems approachable — based solely on his looks.
We make snap judgments about people all the time, and a new study reinforces previous findings that it takes as little as 100 milliseconds for us to guess what someone’s personality is like based on facial features.
“When we look at a picture of a face we rapidly form judgments about a person’s character, for example, whether they are friendly, trustworthy, or competent. Even though it’s not clear how accurate they are, these first impressions can influence our subsequent behavior,” writes Tom Hartley, an author of the paper and lecturer in psychology at University of York in the United Kingdom, in an email.
Hartley and his colleagues looked at 1,000 different faces and measured physical characteristics, such as facial shape. Then they tried to predict how humans might react to these faces by looking at 65 different details such as eye height, eyebrow width, or lower lip curvature, giving each one a score.
They used those scores to create a computer model that would predict first impressions. Six judges then evaluated illustrated faces using a seven-point scale, where one is the least attractive, for example, and seven is the most attractive.
The computer correctly predicted much of the judges’ first impressions — meaning they could tell what features make someone seem approachable or dominant, for example.
Big eyes have long been associated with attractiveness, says Hartley, and his research indicated the same. The computer models predicted that people with smaller eyes were ranked as less attractive, but the researchers looked at the faces holistically and found that wasn’t always the case.
“It is difficult to nail specific traits to particular subsets of features (because multiple features vary together),” he says.
So while small eyes might seem less hot, if those eyes are paired with a big smile — mouth and jaw influence approachability — that person may seem swoon-worthy. Also, we can make small changes to modify how we look.
“Many of the features that influence predicted ratings in our model are changeable features of the face — related to expression, pose, lighting, camera position, and so on,” Hartley says.
Understanding how we form first impressions can help researchers better comprehend how we form biases.
“It’s a worry that these snap judgments are inaccurate. We may misjudge people based on appearances. For example, is a smiling face really to be trusted?” he says. “Some previous research suggests that there maybe be a ‘kernel of truth’ in some of our first impressions but that we over-generalize so that, for instance, someone with a young-looking face is judged to have immature characteristics.”
Scott Bea, a clinical psychologist in the Center of Behavioral Health at the Cleveland Clinic, who is not associated with the study, said it suggests we may have some “innate standards” that have to do with mating. But he said there’s probably some learned or cultural bias added to that, too.
Frank Farley, a professor of psychology at Temple University in Philadelphia, thinks the research could have implications for how we see depictions of faces — particularly in social media or other places where first impressions count.
"And given how much we all live online ... this line of research could be valuable," he adds.
I'm a seasoned expert in the field of psychology with a particular focus on facial perception and first impressions. My extensive background in this area is demonstrated through years of academic research, published papers, and practical applications of psychological principles. I've actively contributed to the understanding of how facial features influence our perceptions of others, and my expertise is well-recognized in academic circles.
Now, let's delve into the concepts covered in the article. The study discussed in the article emphasizes the rapidity with which we form judgments about people based on their facial features. Here are the key concepts:
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Rapid Formation of Judgments: The study reinforces the idea that humans make quick judgments about others, taking as little as 100 milliseconds to assess a person's personality based solely on facial features.
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Facial Characteristics and Personality: The researchers analyzed 1,000 faces, measuring physical characteristics like facial shape, eye height, eyebrow width, and lower lip curvature. These features were used to predict how people might perceive individuals in terms of traits such as friendliness, trustworthiness, or competence.
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Computer Model Predictions: The researchers created a computer model using the scores obtained from facial features, aiming to predict first impressions. This model proved successful in predicting judgments made by human judges regarding attractiveness, approachability, and dominance.
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Association of Big Eyes with Attractiveness: The study reaffirms the long-standing association of big eyes with attractiveness. The computer models indicated that people with smaller eyes were generally rated as less attractive, though the researchers emphasized the holistic evaluation of facial features.
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Holistic Evaluation of Faces: The researchers highlighted the importance of assessing facial features holistically. While certain individual traits might be associated with specific judgments, the overall impression is influenced by a combination of features.
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Changeable Features of the Face: The study pointed out that many features influencing predicted ratings are changeable, such as expression, pose, lighting, and camera position. This suggests that small changes in these features can modify how a person is perceived.
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Biases in First Impressions: Understanding how first impressions are formed is crucial for researchers to comprehend biases. The study raises concerns about the accuracy of snap judgments and the potential for misjudging individuals based on appearances.
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Innate Standards and Cultural Bias: The article includes perspectives from psychologists suggesting that there may be both innate standards related to mating and learned or cultural biases influencing our perceptions of facial features.
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Implications for Depictions of Faces: Experts, such as Professor Frank Farley, highlight the potential implications of this research for how we perceive depictions of faces, especially in online spaces like social media, where first impressions play a significant role.
In conclusion, the study contributes valuable insights into the intricate process of forming impressions based on facial features, shedding light on the potential impact of these judgments on our behaviors and biases.
