Abstract
This study examined the impact of a variable, facial expression, on the social perception and personality trait stereotypic inferences made to age and gender. Twelve facial photographs of young and old female and male models posing with either smiling, scowling, or neutral facial expressions were presented to participants who judged various social perceptions and personality traits. Results indicated that facial expression is strongly associated with two very different inference groupings. Smiling induced positive inferences, creating a Halo Effect, scowling induced negative inferences, creating a Horns Effect. Smiling influenced the age and gender inferences in a positive direction, and scowling did the opposite. The age and gender stereotypical inferences made to the neutral facial expression were in-between smiling and scowling. In all model configurations, the impact of smiling or scowling on the inference process was much stronger than either age or gender. However, significant age and gender inference differences were found in all three facial expression conditions, indicating that facial expressions did not completely subdue the use of these variables as inference inducers. The results are discussed in terms of how specific facial expressions can be used to positively or negatively influence age and gender stereotypes.
Highlights
A stereotype can be defined as a belief that certain attributes are characteristic of members of a particular group (Gilgovich et al, 2019)
Gender, attractiveness and babyfaced-ness stereotypes indicates the debilitating behavioral and motivational effects of negative stereotypes on perceived persons (Bhanot and Jovanovic, 2005; Dunning and Sherman, 1997; Kwong See and Heller, 2004; Snyder et al, 1977; Sparko and Zebrowitz, 2011). Could these judgmental stereotypes be shifted by more controllable inference inducers, such as facial expressions? Our research examines facial expressions as (1) possible inducers of the Halo and Horns Effects, and (2) as stimuli that can positively or negatively shift age and gender stereotypes
Personality trait and social perception assessment data were collected from participants while they viewed each of the facial photographs
Summary
A stereotype can be defined as a belief that certain attributes are characteristic of members of a particular group (Gilgovich et al, 2019). Age and gender are broad social categories that are generally the first aspects that perceivers notice when meeting a person for the first time (Johnson et al, 2015). These categories are used to make judgments about the perceived person, and the judgments are often stereotypical (Ebner et al, 2018; Ellemers, 2018; Lamont et al, 2015; Macrae and Bodenhausen, 2000). Age and gender stereotypes can be conceived as “baseline perceptions”, that appear to be lifelong and are resistant to change (Silberstang, 2011) They may be at least temporarily influenced by personal knowledge of, or experience with, the perceived individual, by the use of other social category stereotypes such as race or social class, or by noticeable facial structure features on the perceived person (Todorov et al, 2015)
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