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Human third-party observers accurately track fighting skill and vigour along their unique paths to victory. Sci Rep 2022; 12:14841. [PMID: 36050502 PMCID: PMC9437099 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19044-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual selection via male-male contest competition has shaped the evolution of agonistic displays, weaponry, and fighting styles, and is further argued to have shaped human psychological mechanisms to detect, process, and respond appropriately to cues of fighting ability. Drawing on the largest fight-specific dataset to date across the sports and biological sciences (N = 2765 fights), we examined how different indicators of fighting ability in humans reflect unique paths to victory and indicate different forms of perceived and actual resource-holding power (RHP). Overall, we discovered that: (1) both striking skill and vigour, and grappling skill and vigour, individually and collectively predict RHP; (2) different RHP indicators are distinguished by a unique path to victory (e.g., striking skill is a knockout-typical strategy, whereas grappling vigour is a submission-typical strategy); and (3) third-party observers accurately track fighting skill and vigour along their unique paths to victory. Our argument that different measures of RHP are associated with unique paths to victory, and third-party observers accurately track fighting vigour and skill along their unique paths to victory, advance our understanding not only of human contest competition, but animal contest theory more broadly.
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2
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Summersby S, Harris B, Denson TF, White D. Tracking sexual dimorphism of facial width-to-height ratio across the lifespan: implications for perceived aggressiveness. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022. [PMID: 35592758 DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5953414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
The facial width-to-height ratio (FWHR) influences social judgements like perceived aggression. This may be because FWHR is a sexually dimorphic feature, with males having higher FWHR than females. However, evidence for sexual dimorphism is mixed, little is known about how it varies with age, and the relationship between sexual dimorphism and perceived aggressiveness is unclear. We addressed these gaps by measuring FWHR of 17 607 passport images of male and female faces across the lifespan. We found larger FWHR in males only in young adulthood, aligning with the stage most commonly associated with mate selection and intrasexual competition. However, the direction of dimorphism was reversed after 48 years of age, with females recording larger FWHRs than males. We then examined how natural variation in FWHR affected perceived aggressiveness. The relationship between FWHR and perceived aggressiveness was strongest for males at 27-33 and females at 34-61. Raters were most sensitive to differences in FWHR for young adult male faces, pointing to enhanced sensitivity to FWHR as a cue to aggressiveness. This may reflect a common mechanism for evaluating male aggressiveness from variability in structural (FWHR) and malleable (emotional expression) aspects of the face.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Summersby
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Bonnie Harris
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Thomas F Denson
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - David White
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
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3
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Summersby S, Harris B, Denson TF, White D. Tracking sexual dimorphism of facial width-to-height ratio across the lifespan: implications for perceived aggressiveness. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:211500. [PMID: 35592758 PMCID: PMC9066300 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The facial width-to-height ratio (FWHR) influences social judgements like perceived aggression. This may be because FWHR is a sexually dimorphic feature, with males having higher FWHR than females. However, evidence for sexual dimorphism is mixed, little is known about how it varies with age, and the relationship between sexual dimorphism and perceived aggressiveness is unclear. We addressed these gaps by measuring FWHR of 17 607 passport images of male and female faces across the lifespan. We found larger FWHR in males only in young adulthood, aligning with the stage most commonly associated with mate selection and intrasexual competition. However, the direction of dimorphism was reversed after 48 years of age, with females recording larger FWHRs than males. We then examined how natural variation in FWHR affected perceived aggressiveness. The relationship between FWHR and perceived aggressiveness was strongest for males at 27-33 and females at 34-61. Raters were most sensitive to differences in FWHR for young adult male faces, pointing to enhanced sensitivity to FWHR as a cue to aggressiveness. This may reflect a common mechanism for evaluating male aggressiveness from variability in structural (FWHR) and malleable (emotional expression) aspects of the face.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Summersby
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Bonnie Harris
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Thomas F. Denson
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - David White
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
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4
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Caton NR, Pearson SG, Dixson BJ. Is facial structure an honest cue to real-world dominance and fighting ability in men? A pre-registered direct replication of. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2022.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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5
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Caton NR, Hannan J, Dixson BJW. Facial width-to-height ratio predicts fighting success: A direct replication and extension of Zilioli et al. (2014). Aggress Behav 2022; 48:449-465. [PMID: 35262921 PMCID: PMC9544882 DOI: 10.1002/ab.22027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Zilioli et al. (2014) were the first to show an association between male facial width‐to‐height ratio (fWHR) and physical aggression and fighting ability in professional mixed‐martial‐arts fighters. Here, we re‐examined this relationship by replicating (using all original measures) and extending (using 23 new variables related to fighting performance) Zilioli et al. (2014) in a statistically well‐powered sample of 520 fighters using automatic and manual measures of the fWHR involving both eyelid and eyebrow landmarks, used interchangeably in previous reports (Studies 1–2). Most importantly, we successfully replicated Zilioli et al.'s (2014) central finding that fighters' fWHR, when manually calculated using the eyebrow landmark, predicted their fighting success (p = .004, controlling for body mass index and total fights). Consistent with past criticisms of using fight rather than fighter data to examine fighting success, which have argued that individual fights can be suddenly and unexpectedly determined and do not capture an individual's overall ability to succeed, Study 3 (N = 1367 fights) found no association between fWHR and singular victories. Studies 1–3 showed continual evidence that larger fWHRs were associated with grappling abilities, even after controlling for demographic and allometric factors. Strikingly, Study 3 discovered associations between all fWHR measures and grappling skill that remained robust before and after controlling for 17 different control variables. We discuss that grappling, or the act of taking down an opponent, involves a more aggressive, close‐combat approach than does striking. Combined, these results offer additional support for the argument that fWHR may have been shaped by sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil R. Caton
- School of Psychology University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
| | - John Hannan
- School of Psychology University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
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6
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Lidborg LH, Cross CP, Boothroyd LG. A meta-analysis of the association between male dimorphism and fitness outcomes in humans. eLife 2022; 11:e65031. [PMID: 35179485 PMCID: PMC9106334 DOI: 10.7554/elife.65031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans are sexually dimorphic: men and women differ in body build and composition, craniofacial structure, and voice pitch, likely mediated in part by developmental testosterone. Sexual selection hypotheses posit that, ancestrally, more 'masculine' men may have acquired more mates and/or sired more viable offspring. Thus far, however, evidence for either association is unclear. Here, we meta-analyze the relationships between six masculine traits and mating/reproductive outcomes (96 studies, 474 effects, N = 177,044). Voice pitch, height, and testosterone all predicted mating; however, strength/muscularity was the strongest and only consistent predictor of both mating and reproduction. Facial masculinity and digit ratios did not significantly predict either. There was no clear evidence for any effects of masculinity on offspring viability. Our findings support arguments that strength/muscularity may be sexually selected in humans, but cast doubt regarding selection for other forms of masculinity and highlight the need to increase tests of evolutionary hypotheses outside of industrialized populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda H Lidborg
- Department of Psychology, Durham UniversityDurhamUnited Kingdom
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7
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Your Face Mirrors Your Deepest Beliefs—Predicting Personality and Morals through Facial Emotion Recognition. FUTURE INTERNET 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/fi14010005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Can we really “read the mind in the eyes”? Moreover, can AI assist us in this task? This paper answers these two questions by introducing a machine learning system that predicts personality characteristics of individuals on the basis of their face. It does so by tracking the emotional response of the individual’s face through facial emotion recognition (FER) while watching a series of 15 short videos of different genres. To calibrate the system, we invited 85 people to watch the videos, while their emotional responses were analyzed through their facial expression. At the same time, these individuals also took four well-validated surveys of personality characteristics and moral values: the revised NEO FFI personality inventory, the Haidt moral foundations test, the Schwartz personal value system, and the domain-specific risk-taking scale (DOSPERT). We found that personality characteristics and moral values of an individual can be predicted through their emotional response to the videos as shown in their face, with an accuracy of up to 86% using gradient-boosted trees. We also found that different personality characteristics are better predicted by different videos, in other words, there is no single video that will provide accurate predictions for all personality characteristics, but it is the response to the mix of different videos that allows for accurate prediction.
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8
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Ku X, Ko J, Moon S. Facial width-to-height ratio association with performances of cadets at the Korea Military Academy. COGENT PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/23311908.2021.1940053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Xyle Ku
- Department of Psychology, Korea Military Academy, Seoul, South Korea; Department of Psychology, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jaewon Ko
- Department of Psychology, Korea Military Academy, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sangwoo Moon
- Department of Computer Science, Korea Military Academy, Seoul, South Korea; Vision and Learning Lab, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
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Hodges-Simeon CR, Albert G, Richardson GB, McHale TS, Weinberg SM, Gurven M, Gaulin SJC. Was facial width-to-height ratio subject to sexual selection pressures? A life course approach. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0240284. [PMID: 33711068 PMCID: PMC7954343 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0240284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual selection researchers have traditionally focused on adult sex differences; however, the schedule and pattern of sex-specific ontogeny can provide insights unobtainable from an exclusive focus on adults. Recently, it has been debated whether facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR; bi-zygomatic breadth divided by midface height) is a human secondary sexual characteristic (SSC). Here, we review current evidence, then address this debate using ontogenetic evidence, which has been under-explored in fWHR research. Facial measurements were collected from 3D surface images of males and females aged 3 to 40 (Study 1; US European-descent, n = 2449), and from 2D photographs of males and females aged 7 to 21 (Study 2; Bolivian Tsimane, n = 179), which were used to calculate three fWHR variants (which we call fWHRnasion, fWHRstomion, and fWHRbrow) and two other common facial masculinity ratios (facial width-to-lower-face-height ratio, fWHRlower, and cheekbone prominence). We test whether the observed pattern of facial development exhibits patterns indicative of SSCs, i.e., differential adolescent growth in either male or female facial morphology leading to an adult sex difference. Results showed that only fWHRlower exhibited both adult sex differences as well as the classic pattern of ontogeny for SSCs-greater lower-face growth in male adolescents relative to females. fWHRbrow was significantly wider among both pre- and post-pubertal males in the Bolivian Tsimane sample; post-hoc analyses revealed that the effect was driven by large sex differences in brow height, with females having higher placed brows than males across ages. In both samples, all fWHR measures were inversely associated with age; that is, human facial growth is characterized by greater relative elongation in the mid-face and lower face relative to facial width. This trend continues even into middle adulthood. BMI was also a positive predictor of most of the ratios across ages, with greater BMI associated with wider faces. Researchers collecting data on fWHR should target fWHRlower and fWHRbrow and should control for both age and BMI. Researchers should also compare ratio approaches with multivariate techniques, such as geometric morphometrics, to examine whether the latter have greater utility for understanding the evolution of facial sexual dimorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Graham Albert
- Department of Anthropology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - George B. Richardson
- School of Human Services, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Timothy S. McHale
- Department of Anthropology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Anthropology and Museum Studies, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington, United States of America
| | - Seth M. Weinberg
- Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics, Department of Oral Biology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Anthropology, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Michael Gurven
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
| | - Steven J. C. Gaulin
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
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10
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Giacomin M, Rule NO. How static facial cues relate to real-world leaders’ success: a review and meta-analysis. EUROPEAN REVIEW OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/10463283.2020.1771935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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11
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Hahn T, Winter NR, Anderl C, Notebaert K, Wuttke AM, Clément CC, Windmann S. Facial width-to-height ratio differs by social rank across organizations, countries, and value systems. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0187957. [PMID: 29121113 PMCID: PMC5679545 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2016] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Facial Width-to-Height Ratio (fWHR) has been linked with dominant and aggressive behavior in human males. We show here that on portrait photographs published online, chief executive officers (CEOs) of companies listed in the Dow Jones stock market index and the Deutscher Aktienindex have a higher-than-normal fWHR, which also correlates positively with their company’s donations to charitable causes and environmental awareness. Furthermore, we show that leaders of the world’s most influential non-governmental organizations and even the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church, the popes, have higher fWHR compared to controls on public portraits, suggesting that the relationship between displayed fWHR and leadership is not limited to profit-seeking organizations. The data speak against the simplistic view that wider-faced men achieve higher social status through antisocial tendencies and overt aggression, or the mere signaling of such dispositions. Instead they suggest that high fWHR is linked with high social rank in a more subtle fashion in both competitive as well as prosocially oriented settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Hahn
- Department of Psychology, Cognitive Psychology II, Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Nils R. Winter
- Department of Psychology, Cognitive Psychology II, Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Christine Anderl
- Department of Psychology, Cognitive Psychology II, Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Karolien Notebaert
- Department of Psychology, Cognitive Psychology II, Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
- Research Center of Marketing and Consumer Science, Katholieke Universiteit, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Alina Marie Wuttke
- Department of Psychology, Cognitive Psychology II, Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Celina Chantal Clément
- Department of Psychology, Cognitive Psychology II, Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Sabine Windmann
- Department of Psychology, Cognitive Psychology II, Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
- * E-mail:
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12
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Lieberz KA, Windmann S, Geniole SN, McCormick CM, Mueller-Engelmann M, Gruener F, Bornefeld-Ettmann P, Steil R. The facial width-to-height ratio determines interpersonal distance preferences in the observer. Aggress Behav 2017; 43:460-470. [PMID: 28261811 DOI: 10.1002/ab.21704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2016] [Revised: 02/03/2017] [Accepted: 02/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) is correlated with a number of aspects of aggressive behavior in men. Observers appear to be able to assess aggressiveness from male fWHR, but implications for interpersonal distance preferences have not yet been determined. This study utilized a novel computerized stop-distance task to examine interpersonal space preferences of female participants who envisioned being approached by a man; men's faces photographed posed in neutral facial expressions were shown in increasing size to mimic approach. We explored the effect of the men's fWHR, their behavioral aggression (measured previously in a computer game), and women's ratings of the men's aggressiveness, attractiveness, and masculinity on the preferred interpersonal distance of 52 German women. Hierarchical linear modelling confirmed the relationship between the fWHR and trait judgements (ratings of aggressiveness, attractiveness, and masculinity). There were effects of fWHR and actual aggression on the preferred interpersonal distance, even when controlling statistically for men's and the participants' age. Ratings of attractiveness, however, was the most influential variable predicting preferred interpersonal distance. Our results extend earlier findings on fWHR as a cue of aggressiveness in men by demonstrating implications for social interaction. In conclusion, women are able to accurately detect aggressiveness in emotionally neutral facial expressions, and adapt their social distance preferences accordingly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klara A. Lieberz
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Intervention, Institute of Psychology; Goethe University; Frankfurt Main Germany
| | - Sabine Windmann
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute of Psychology; Goethe University; Frankfurt Main Germany
| | - Shawn N. Geniole
- Department of Psychology; Brock University; St. Catharines, Ontario Canada
- Department of Basic Psychological Research and Research Methods; Faculty of Psychology; University of Vienna; Vienna Austria
| | - Cheryl M. McCormick
- Department of Psychology; Brock University; St. Catharines, Ontario Canada
- Centre for Neuroscience; Brock University; St. Catharines, Ontario Canada
| | - Meike Mueller-Engelmann
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Intervention, Institute of Psychology; Goethe University; Frankfurt Main Germany
| | - Felix Gruener
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Intervention, Institute of Psychology; Goethe University; Frankfurt Main Germany
| | - Pia Bornefeld-Ettmann
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Intervention, Institute of Psychology; Goethe University; Frankfurt Main Germany
| | - Regina Steil
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Intervention, Institute of Psychology; Goethe University; Frankfurt Main Germany
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Re DE, Rule N. Distinctive Facial Cues Predict Leadership Rank and Selection. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY BULLETIN 2017; 43:1311-1322. [PMID: 28903679 DOI: 10.1177/0146167217712989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Facial appearance correlates with leadership, both in terms of who is chosen (leader selection) and how they do (leader success). Leadership theories suggest that exceptional individuals acquire positions as leaders. Exceptional traits can differ between domains, however, and so the qualities valued in leaders in one occupation may not match those valued among leaders in another. To test this, we compared the relationship between facial appearance and leadership across two domains: law firms and mafia families. Perceptions of power correlated with leadership among law executives whereas social skill correlated with leadership in organized crime. Critically, these traits were distinctive within their respective groups. Furthermore, an experimental test showed that the relative frequency of facial traits in a group can render them either an asset or liability. Perceived leadership ability is therefore enhanced by characteristics that appear unique among individuals who satisfy the basic criteria for their group.
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14
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Heritability maps of human face morphology through large-scale automated three-dimensional phenotyping. Sci Rep 2017; 7:45885. [PMID: 28422179 PMCID: PMC5395823 DOI: 10.1038/srep45885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2016] [Accepted: 03/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The human face is a complex trait under strong genetic control, as evidenced by the striking visual similarity between twins. Nevertheless, heritability estimates of facial traits have often been surprisingly low or difficult to replicate. Furthermore, the construction of facial phenotypes that correspond to naturally perceived facial features remains largely a mystery. We present here a large-scale heritability study of face geometry that aims to address these issues. High-resolution, three-dimensional facial models have been acquired on a cohort of 952 twins recruited from the TwinsUK registry, and processed through a novel landmarking workflow, GESSA (Geodesic Ensemble Surface Sampling Algorithm). The algorithm places thousands of landmarks throughout the facial surface and automatically establishes point-wise correspondence across faces. These landmarks enabled us to intuitively characterize facial geometry at a fine level of detail through curvature measurements, yielding accurate heritability maps of the human face (www.heritabilitymaps.info).
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15
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Linke L, Saribay SA, Kleisner K. Perceived trustworthiness is associated with position in a corporate hierarchy. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2016.04.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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16
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Kramer RSS. Within-person variability in men's facial width-to-height ratio. PeerJ 2016; 4:e1801. [PMID: 26989634 PMCID: PMC4793305 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2016] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background. In recent years, researchers have investigated the relationship between facial width-to-height ratio (FWHR) and a variety of threat and dominance behaviours. The majority of methods involved measuring FWHR from 2D photographs of faces. However, individuals can vary dramatically in their appearance across images, which poses an obvious problem for reliable FWHR measurement. Methods. I compared the effect sizes due to the differences between images taken with unconstrained camera parameters (Studies 1 and 2) or varied facial expressions (Study 3) to the effect size due to identity, i.e., the differences between people. In Study 1, images of Hollywood actors were collected from film screenshots, providing the least amount of experimental control. In Study 2, controlled photographs, which only varied in focal length and distance to camera, were analysed. In Study 3, images of different facial expressions, taken in controlled conditions, were measured. Results. Analyses revealed that simply varying the focal length and distance between the camera and face had a relatively small effect on FWHR, and therefore may prove less of a problem if uncontrolled in study designs. In contrast, when all camera parameters (including the camera itself) are allowed to vary, the effect size due to identity was greater than the effect of image selection, but the ranking of the identities was significantly altered by the particular image used. Finally, I found significant changes to FWHR when people posed with four of seven emotional expressions in comparison with neutral, and the effect size due to expression was larger than differences due to identity. Discussion. The results of these three studies demonstrate that even when head pose is limited to forward facing, changes to the camera parameters and a person’s facial expression have sizable effects on FWHR measurement. Therefore, analysing images that fail to constrain some of these variables can lead to noisy and unreliable results, but also relationships caused by previously unconsidered confounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin S S Kramer
- Department of Psychology, University of York , York , United Kingdom
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17
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Focal Length Affects Depicted Shape and Perception of Facial Images. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0149313. [PMID: 26894832 PMCID: PMC4760932 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0149313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2015] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Static photographs are currently the most often employed stimuli in research on social perception. The method of photograph acquisition might affect the depicted subject's facial appearance and thus also the impression of such stimuli. An important factor influencing the resulting photograph is focal length, as different focal lengths produce various levels of image distortion. Here we tested whether different focal lengths (50, 85, 105 mm) affect depicted shape and perception of female and male faces. We collected three portrait photographs of 45 (22 females, 23 males) participants under standardized conditions and camera setting varying only in the focal length. Subsequently, the three photographs from each individual were shown on screen in a randomized order using a 3-alternative forced-choice paradigm. The images were judged for attractiveness, dominance, and femininity/masculinity by 369 raters (193 females, 176 males). Facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) was measured from each photograph and overall facial shape was analysed employing geometric morphometric methods (GMM). Our results showed that photographs taken with 50 mm focal length were rated as significantly less feminine/masculine, attractive, and dominant compared to the images taken with longer focal lengths. Further, shorter focal lengths produced faces with smaller fWHR. Subsequent GMM revealed focal length significantly affected overall facial shape of the photographed subjects. Thus methodology of photograph acquisition, focal length in this case, can significantly affect results of studies using photographic stimuli perhaps due to different levels of perspective distortion that influence shapes and proportions of morphological traits.
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18
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Abstract
Many psychological studies have shown that facial appearance matters in the people we select as leaders. An evolutionary-psychology approach suggests that facial cues serve as inputs into an adaptive, context-sensitive followership psychology. That is, leadership suitability may be contingent upon the match between facial cues (indicating, e.g., dominance, trust, competence, and attractiveness) and follower needs. There is much support for this evolutionary-contingency hypothesis in the psychological literature. People prefer leaders with dominant, masculine-looking faces in times of war and conflict, yet they prefer leaders with more trustworthy, feminine faces in peacetime. In addition, leaders with older-looking faces are preferred in traditional knowledge domains, whereas younger-looking leaders are preferred for new challenges. We speculate about whether such followership heuristics are evolved or culturally learned, currently adaptive or mismatched, and, finally, we address the implications of the evolutionary-contingency hypothesis for leadership theory and practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Van Vugt
- Department of Experimental and Applied Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
- Institute for Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Oxford
| | - Allen E. Grabo
- Department of Experimental and Applied Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
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Laustsen L, Petersen MB, Klofstad CA. Vote Choice, Ideology, and Social Dominance Orientation Influence Preferences for Lower Pitched Voices in Political Candidates. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2015; 13:1474704915600576. [PMID: 37924186 PMCID: PMC10481105 DOI: 10.1177/1474704915600576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2014] [Accepted: 07/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Humans are equipped with a psychological system of followership that evolved to regulate choices of leaders based partly on would-be leaders' physiological features. One such feature is voice pitch, which is determined by the physiology of the throat. Recent studies find that political candidates in modern elections with lower-pitched voices are generally more successful. As lower-pitched voices are perceived as stronger and more dominant, these findings have been taken to indicate a general preference for dispositional abilities in leaders to protect and prevail in conflicts. Here we extend upon these findings by demonstrating that conservatives and Republicans tend to view the world as much more competitive and threatening than liberals and Democrats. We utilize two existing data sources to show that political candidates with lower-pitched voices are preferred more among conservative Republicans than among liberal Democrats. In a third study we show that preferences for lower-pitched candidate voices stem from individual differences in Social Dominance Orientation (SDO). Importantly, across all three studies subjects' party affiliation, ideology, and SDO only predict preferences for male candidate voices. We conclude with a discussion of the results in relation to followership psychology and general debates on the rationality of the public with respect to elections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lasse Laustsen
- Department of Political Science and Government, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Casey A. Klofstad
- Department of Political Science, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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Geniole SN, Denson TF, Dixson BJ, Carré JM, McCormick CM. Evidence from Meta-Analyses of the Facial Width-to-Height Ratio as an Evolved Cue of Threat. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0132726. [PMID: 26181579 PMCID: PMC4504483 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0132726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2015] [Accepted: 06/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The facial width-to-height ratio (FWHR) is the width of the face divided by the height of the upper face. There is mixed evidence for the hypothesis that the FWHR is a cue of threat and dominance in the human face. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analyses of all peer-reviewed studies (and 2 unpublished studies) to estimate the magnitude of the sex difference in the FWHR, and the magnitude of the relationship between the FWHR and threatening and dominant behaviours and perceptions. Studies were eligible for inclusion if the authors reported an analysis involving the FWHR. Our analyses revealed that the FWHR was larger in men than in women ( d¯ = .11, n = 10,853), cued judgements of masculinity in men ( r¯ = .35, n of faces = 487; n of observers = 339), and was related to body mass index ( r¯ = .31, n = 2,506). Further, the FWHR predicted both threat behaviour in men ( r¯ = .16, n = 4,603) and dominance behaviour in both sexes ( r¯ = .12, n = 948) across a variety of indices. Individuals with larger FWHRs were judged by observers as more threatening ( r¯ = .46, n of faces = 1,691; n of observers = 2,076) and more dominant ( r¯ = .20, n of faces = 603; n of observers = 236) than those with smaller FWHRs. Individuals with larger FWHRs were also judged as less attractive ( r¯ = -.26, n of faces = 721; n of observers = 335), especially when women made the judgements. These findings provide some support for the hypothesis that the FWHR is part of an evolved cueing system of intra-sexual threat and dominance in men. A limitation of the meta-analyses on perceptions of threat and dominance were the low number of stimuli involving female and older adult faces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawn N. Geniole
- Psychology Department, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
| | - Thomas F. Denson
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Barnaby J. Dixson
- School of Psychology, the University of Queensland, St. Lucia 4072, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Justin M. Carré
- Department of Psychology, Nipissing University, North Bay, Ontario, Canada
| | - Cheryl M. McCormick
- Psychology Department, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
- Centre for Neuroscience, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
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Třebický V, Fialová J, Kleisner K, Roberts SC, Little AC, Havlíček J. Further evidence for links between facial width-to-height ratio and fighting success: Commentary on Zilioli et al. (2014). Aggress Behav 2015; 41:331-4. [PMID: 25236530 DOI: 10.1002/ab.21559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2014] [Accepted: 07/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Recent research has reported an association between facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) and both fighting performance and judgments of formidability in a sample of mixed martial arts (MMA) combatants. The results provide evidence of fWHR being associated with sporting performance and aggression in men. However, it has been argued that the effect of fWHR might be a by-product of associations between body size and behavioral measures. Here we tested whether fWHR is associated with perceived aggressiveness, fighting ability and success in physical confrontation, while controlling for body size, also in a sample of MMA fighters. We found that perceived fighting ability was predicted by weight but not by fWHR. In contrast, both fWHR and body weight independently predicted perceived aggressiveness. Furthermore, we found positive associations between fWHR and fighting performance which appear to be independent of body size. Our findings provide further support for the proposal that fWHR is associated with fighting ability and perceived aggression, and that these effects are independent of body size. Therefore, fWHR might be considered as a viable and reliable marker for inference of success in male intra-sexual competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vít Třebický
- Faculty of Science; Charles University; Prague Czech Republic
| | - Jitka Fialová
- Faculty of Science; Charles University; Prague Czech Republic
| | - Karel Kleisner
- Faculty of Science; Charles University; Prague Czech Republic
| | | | | | - Jan Havlíček
- Faculty of Science; Charles University; Prague Czech Republic
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Mileva V, Cowan M, Cobey K, Knowles K, Little A. In the face of dominance: Self-perceived and other-perceived dominance are positively associated with facial-width-to-height ratio in men. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2014.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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23
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Olivola CY, Eubanks DL, Lovelace JB. The many (distinctive) faces of leadership: Inferring leadership domain from facial appearance. LEADERSHIP QUARTERLY 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.leaqua.2014.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Todorov A, Olivola CY, Dotsch R, Mende-Siedlecki P. Social attributions from faces: determinants, consequences, accuracy, and functional significance. Annu Rev Psychol 2014; 66:519-45. [PMID: 25196277 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-psych-113011-143831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 443] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Since the early twentieth century, psychologists have known that there is consensus in attributing social and personality characteristics from facial appearance. Recent studies have shown that surprisingly little time and effort are needed to arrive at this consensus. Here we review recent research on social attributions from faces. Section I outlines data-driven methods capable of identifying the perceptual basis of consensus in social attributions from faces (e.g., What makes a face look threatening?). Section II describes nonperceptual determinants of social attributions (e.g., person knowledge and incidental associations). Section III discusses evidence that attributions from faces predict important social outcomes in diverse domains (e.g., investment decisions and leader selection). In Section IV, we argue that the diagnostic validity of these attributions has been greatly overstated in the literature. In the final section, we offer an account of the functional significance of these attributions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Todorov
- Department of Psychology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08540;
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25
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Geniole SN, Keyes AE, Carré JM, McCormick CM. Fearless dominance mediates the relationship between the facial width-to-height ratio and willingness to cheat. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2013.09.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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26
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Geniole SN, McCormick CM. Taking Control of Aggression: Perceptions of Aggression Suppress the Link between Perceptions of Facial Masculinity and Attractiveness. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2013. [DOI: 10.1177/147470491301100507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Women's preferences for masculine-looking male faces are inconsistent across studies, with some studies finding a positive relationship between masculinity and attractiveness and others finding a negative relationship or no association. One possible reason for this inconsistency is that the perception of masculinity is also associated with perceptions of aggression, which may be viewed as particularly costly to women (aggressive individuals are more likely to experience injury or death). Based on the proposal that women's preference for masculinity is in conflict with their aversion for aggression in male faces, we hypothesized that the bivariate associations between perceptions of masculinity and attractiveness would be weak or negative, but would be positive and significantly stronger after controlling statistically for perceptions of aggression. Across three studies involving three sets of faces ( n = 25, 54, 24) and five sets of raters ( n = 29, 30, 26, 16, 10), this hypothesis was supported with the average correlation between perceptions of masculinity and attractiveness ( r = −.09) reversing in direction and substantially increasing in magnitude after perceptions of aggression were controlled statistically ( r = .35). Perceived masculinity may thus involve both attractive and unattractive components, and women's preferences for masculinity may involve weighing its relative costs and benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawn N. Geniole
- Department of Psychology, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON,
Canada
| | - Cheryl M. McCormick
- Department of Psychology and the Centre for Neuroscience, Brock University,
St. Catharines, ON, Canada
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27
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Geniole SN, McCormick CM. Taking control of aggression: Perceptions of aggression suppress the link between perceptions of facial masculinity and attractiveness. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2013; 11:1027-43. [PMID: 24192545 PMCID: PMC10429096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2013] [Accepted: 10/30/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Women's preferences for masculine-looking male faces are inconsistent across studies, with some studies finding a positive relationship between masculinity and attractiveness and others finding a negative relationship or no association. One possible reason for this inconsistency is that the perception of masculinity is also associated with perceptions of aggression, which may be viewed as particularly costly to women (aggressive individuals are more likely to experience injury or death). Based on the proposal that women's preference for masculinity is in conflict with their aversion for aggression in male faces, we hypothesized that the bivariate associations between perceptions of masculinity and attractiveness would be weak or negative, but would be positive and significantly stronger after controlling statistically for perceptions of aggression. Across three studies involving three sets of faces (n = 25, 54, 24) and five sets of raters (n = 29, 30, 26, 16, 10), this hypothesis was supported with the average correlation between perceptions of masculinity and attractiveness (r = -.09) reversing in direction and substantially increasing in magnitude after perceptions of aggression were controlled statistically (r = .35). Perceived masculinity may thus involve both attractive and unattractive components, and women's preferences for masculinity may involve weighing its relative costs and benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawn N. Geniole
- Department of Psychology, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON,
Canada
| | - Cheryl M. McCormick
- Department of Psychology and the Centre for Neuroscience, Brock University,
St. Catharines, ON, Canada
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