Facial appearance affects science communication

Abstract

First impressions based on facial appearance predict many important social outcomes. We investigated whether such impressions also influence the communication of scientific findings to lay audiences, a process that shapes public beliefs, opinion, and policy. First, we investigated the traits that engender interest in a scientist's work, and those that create the impression of a "good scientist" who does high-quality research. Apparent competence and morality were positively related to both interest and quality judgments, whereas attractiveness boosted interest but decreased perceived quality. Next, we had members of the public choose real science news stories to read or watch and found that people were more likely to choose items that were paired with "interestinglooking" scientists, especially when selecting video-based communications. Finally, we had people read real science news items and found that the research was judged to be of higher quality when paired with researchers who look like "good scientists." Our findings offer insights into the social psychology of science, and indicate a source of bias in the dissemination of scientific findings to broader society.science communication | impression formation | social cognition

The effects of facial attractiveness and trustworthiness in online peer-to-peer markets

“…Unattractive hosts might elicit avoidance motivations, which then spill over to consumer's apartment choices. In fact, similar effects of facial attractiveness on seemingly unrelated preferences have been observed for interest in scientific work (Gheorghiu, Callan, & Skylark, 2017). This account is also supported by our current finding that the effect of attractiveness on apartment prices is driven by unattractive hosts charging lower prices, rather than by attractive hosts charging higher prices.…”

Finite-energy Lévy-type motion through heterogeneous ensemble of Brownian particles

“…In HEBP models anomalous diffusion emerges as a consequence of heterogeneity in the particle ensemble, while classical thermodynamics still hold. Heterogeneity is then responsible for long-range correlations, in agreement with approaches based on polydispersity [102]. In particular, in the present approach anomalous behavior is displayed during an intermediate asymptotic transient regime in the Barenblatt's sense [103], thus requiring an underdamped (white noise) Langevin approach.…”

“…Starting from the Langevin equations associated to each Brownian particle of the ensemble, the HEBP approach leads to anomalous diffusion with uncorrelated white noise. Thus, HEBP models are substantially different from approaches based on the generalized Langevin equation or on Langevin equations with colored noises and, in general, on noises with long-range spatiotemporal correlations with even "anomalous" thermodynamics [102]. In HEBP models anomalous diffusion emerges as a consequence of heterogeneity in the particle ensemble, while classical thermodynamics still hold.…”

A Thin Slice of Science Communication: Are People’s Evaluations of TED Talks Predicted by Superficial Impressions of the Speakers?

“…(adherence to social norms and rules) (Brambilla & Leach, 2014;Brambilla, Rusconi, Sacchi, & Cherubini, 2011;Gheorghiu, Callan, & Skylark, 2017;Goodwin, 2015). Second, studies of superficial impressions establish the extent to which social outcomes are based on accessible but often invalid visual cues rather than careful consideration of relevant evidence (Todorov et al, 2015;Todorov & Porter, 2014); this may lead to the development of interventions that minimize bias in important decisions (see Todorov et al, 2015 for examples).…”

“…One exploration of this issue was provided in a recent paper by Gheorghiu, Callan, and Skylark (2017). Using photos of real scientists, these authors found that interest in a scientist's work was positively predicted by their apparent morality, competence, and attractiveness; in contrast, the extent to which they looked like a "good scientist" (who does important, high-quality work) was positively related to apparent competence and morality, but negatively predicted by apparent sociability and attractiveness.…”