Effects of an educational intervention on ratings of criminality, violence, and trustworthiness based on facial expressions

Abstract

Previous research has demonstrated that facial expressions ( e . g . angry, neutral, or happy expressions) influence our perceptions and judgments of people. Previous research is lacking awareness-raising education and the influence this may have on perceptions and judgments of others based on facial expressions. The current study examined the effects of an educational intervention on ratings of criminality, violence, and trustworthiness of faces portraying happy, neutral, or angry facial expressions. Five hundred and sixty nine college students randomly assigned to an intervention reading or irrelevant reading completed online ratings of faces. While the intervention had no effect on ratings of angry or happy facial expressions, there was an unexpected effect of the intervention reading on ratings of neutral expressions. Among photographs displaying neutral facial expressions, the intervention group rated these faces as more criminal, more violent, and less trustworthy. These results suggest that facial expressions may influence our perception of others, regardless of an intervention.