Uncovering the Secrets of a Trustworthy Face

Psychologists have long been interested in understanding what leads people to trust others, and the face has long been at the center of this research. Some people just look trustworthy. Yet, just because a face looks trustworthy does not mean that the person with that face has trustworthy intentions.

Many studies had asked whether people can accurately detect trustworthiness from the face, but what does the person with the face think about all of this? In this study scientists from Columbia Business School wondered whether people who look trustworthy are aware that other people expect them to be trustworthy from their appearance. In essence, asking: Does the person with a trustworthy or untrustworthy looking face think that they will be trusted or distrusted by others? If this were the case, it could explain how people can sometimes accurately judge another’s trustworthiness from the face.

Read the complete article from Scientific American here: Uncovering the Secrets of a Trustworthy Face