Personality Judgments Based on Physical Appearance

[FarCenter]

Despite the crucial role of physical appearance in forming first impressions, little research has examined the accuracy of personality impressions based on appearance alone. This study examined the accuracy of observers’ impressions on 10 personality traits based on full-body photographs using criterion measures based on self and peer reports. When targets’ posture and expression were constrained (standardized condition), observers’ judgments were accurate for extraversion, self-esteem, and religiosity. When targets were photographed with a spontaneous pose and facial expression (spontaneous condition), observers’ judgments were accurate for almost all of the traits examined. Lens model analyses demonstrated that both static cues (e.g., clothing style) and dynamic cues (e.g., facial expression, posture) offered valuable personality-relevant information. These results suggest that personality is manifested through both static and expressive channels of appearance, and observers use this information to form accurate judgments for a variety of traits.

Article available at http://psp.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/35/12/1661

[AlienGirl]

1. People's faces and bodies change based on how they're used

Ever notice how all young kids, whose faces are so smooth, look sort of alike? Then over time, characteristic expressions and habits mold their faces, building muscles and lines around the expressions the person makes most. By the time a person is in their thirties or so, you can sort-of see what muscles get tensed and what expressions are habitual, so there's a clue to usual mood and maybe to level of extroversion. The "user" customizes his/her face...

People's bodies change too, but seem to be more dramatically changed by conscious effort (to lose weight or stand straighter or whatever) than faces.

Tucker

[MineralMan]

2. Well, W* had that stupid smirk as part of his physical

appearance. I learned a lot from that about his personality.