What make us wary or trusting within seconds of seeing a stranger? Surprisingly few factors according to a recent study by two Princeton psychology researchers. We are most likely to trust someone who has, “a U-shaped mouth and eyes that form an almost surprised look.” At the other extreme are faces that seem angry. In those faces, “the edges of the mouth curl down and the eyebrows point down at the center.
For a computer-generated range of what looks trustworthy, see this video scale.
Also, upon first meeting someone, almost instantly we decide whether someone is dominant or weak. A face that resembles a baby's is judged as the least dominant. It has a larger distance between the eyes and between the eyebrows than other faces. Dominant appearing faces tended to have, “a squared, broad chin.”
Here’s the dominance scale.
Now, using a computer to combine features, the scientists created a threatening face out of the features of an untrustworthy and a dominant face.
From earlier research we know that:
• More than most images, faces stick in our minds.
• Anywhere in the world, people are most attracted to faces that are symmetrical.
When feeling these gut reactions, it is often difficult for me to remember that, as Alex Todorov notes, "The link between facial features and character may be tenuous at best, but that doesn't stop our minds from sizing other people up at a glance.” Yet it must be comforting for Todorov to know he has a face that engenders trust.
Visit here to make a face that’s attractive to you.
