Demonstrations | Social Perception Lab

The following videos display changes of facial features on a variety of social trait dimensions according to the computer models developed by Oosterhof & Todorov 2008 and Todorov & Oosterhof 2011. These models capture perceptions or visual stereotypes; they should not be used as mapping onto real personality characteristics. The specific social traits demonstrated below are attractiveness, competence, dominance, extroversion, frightening, likeability, mean, threat, and trustworthiness.

The videos begin at the average or neutral face for the trait, progress to a face that is very high on the trait, then backtrack to very low on the trait, and then return to the neutral face. Each movie shows the running standard deviation from the average face in the bottom right corner. For each trait, the first movie varies on face shape only while the second movie varies on face shape and reflectance.

Attractive Face Shape