Formidable Male Facial Structures Influence Post-Conflict Reconciliation

Abstract

Male facial structures are associated with men’s formidability. Those possessing a high facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) are perceived as especially formidable. Although such men would be perceived as interpersonally threatening, inclusion of such men in group living could prove advantageous in certain social contexts. Defeated men typically ingratiate themselves heavily with other men following physical conflict through post-conflict reconciliation, which could serve to strengthen coalitional bonds. We conducted two studies to identify how men expect post-conflict reconciliation to occur based on the presence of facial structures connoting formidability. Men indicated their expectations of displaying and receiving respect toward high- and low-fWHR men after imagining winning and losing in physical fights with them; Study 1 (N=238) only considered White opponents and Study 2 (N=303) compared Black and White opponents. Participants expected to display similar levels of respect toward high- and low-fWHR opponents but expected to receive less respect from high-fWHR targets (Studies 1 and 2), particularly if they were Black (Study 2). Findings provide initial evidence for how facial structures connoting formidability shape post-conflict reconciliation.