The role of facial cues to body size on attractiveness and perceived leadership ability

Face perception;Physiognomy;Interpersonal attraction;Leadership

Re, Daniel E. ; Perrett, David ; Perrett, David

University:University of St Andrews

Department:Psychology & Neuroscience (School of)

关键词: Face perception;    Physiognomy;    Interpersonal attraction;    Leadership;   

Others  :  https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/10023/4440/DanielRe_PhDThesis.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y

来源: DR-NTU

【 摘 要 】

Facial appearance has a strong effect on leadership selection. Ratings ofperceived leadership ability from facial images have a pronounced influence onleadership selection in politics, from low-level municipal elections to the federalelections of the most powerful countries in the world. Furthermore, ratings of leadershipability from facial images of business leaders correlate with leadership performance asmeasured by profits earned.Two elements of facial appearance that have reliable effects of perceivedleadership ability are perceived dominance and attractiveness. These cues have beenpredictive of leadership choices, both experimentally and in the real-world. Chapters 1and 2 review research on face components that affect perceived dominance andattractiveness. Chapter 3 discusses how perceived dominance and attractivenessinfluence perception of leadership ability.Two characteristics that affect both perceived dominance and attractiveness areheight and weight. Chapters 4-9 present empirical studies on two recently-discoveredfacial parameters: perceived height (how tall someone appears from their face) andfacial adiposity (a reliable proxy of body mass index that influences perceived weight).Chapters 4 and 5 demonstrate that these facial parameters alter facial attractiveness.Chapters 6, 7, and 8 examine how perceived height and facial adiposity influenceperceived leadership ability. Chapter 9 examines how perceived height alters leadershipperception in war and peace contexts. Chapter 10 summarises the empirical researchreported in the thesis and draws conclusions from the findings. Chapter 10 also listsproposals for future research that could further enhance our knowledge of how facialcues to perceived body size influence democratic leadership selection.