Judging a Book by Its Cover: Children's Facial Trustworthiness as Judged by Strangers Predicts Their Real‐World Trustworthiness and Peer Relationships

Abstract

This longitudinal research examined whether children's facial trustworthiness as judged by strangers can predict their real-world trustworthiness and peer acceptance. Adults (Study 1) and children (Study 2) judged the facial trustworthiness of 8- to 12-year-old children (N = 100) solely based on their photographs. The children's classmates were asked to report their real-world trustworthiness and peer acceptance. Children's facial trustworthiness reliably predicted these outcomes both initially when the photographs were taken, as well as 1 year later, and this effect was mediated by the initial ratings of real-world trustworthiness and peer acceptance. These results provide evidence for a long-lasting linkage between children's facial and real-world trustworthiness.

Adults’ facial impressions of children’s niceness, but not shyness, show modest accuracy

“…There is also some evidence that adults can form accurate impressions of trustworthiness (Li, Heyman, Mei, & Lee, 2017) and honesty (Zebrowitz et al, 1996) from A KERNEL OF TRUTH IN IMPRESSIONS 6 children's faces. Adults' impressions of trustworthiness from children's faces predicted actual trustworthiness in those children one year later (Li, et al, 2017). This result suggests there may be valid signals of trustworthiness in children's faces, whether this link arises through a self-fulfilling prophecy or is based on evolution.…”

“…It is possible that these ambient images capture more valid information about behaviour and personality than face images taken in the lab under controlled conditions, which the majority of accuracy studies have used (cf. Alaei & Rule, 2019;Foo et al, 2019;Li et al, 2017;Penton-Voak et al, 2006;Pound, Penton-Voak, & Brown, 2007;Pound et al, 2008;Rhodes et al, 2013;Stirrat & Perrett, 2010;Sutherland et al, 2018). For example, nicer children might be more likely to smile for their parent's photograph, or more likely to be naturally captured smiling, than children who are less nice.…”

“…There is also some evidence that adults can form accurate impressions of trustworthiness (Li et al, 2019) and honesty (Zebrowitz et al, 1996) from children’s faces. Adults’ impressions of trustworthiness from children’s faces predicted actual trustworthiness in those children 1 year later (Li et al, 2019).…”

“…In addition, we also extended previous research by testing accuracy across multiple images of the same child’s face instead of a single face image. In typical accuracy studies, participants form impressions from a single standardised image of a stranger’s face, and this impression is compared with reports of actual personality or behaviour (e.g., Bond et al, 1994; Carré et al, 2009; Foo et al, 2019; Haselhuhn & Wong, 2012; Kleisner et al, 2014; Li et al, 2019; Stillman et al, 2010; Stirrat & Perrett, 2010; Zebrowitz et al, 2002; Zebrowitz & Rhodes, 2004). Almost nothing is known about the accuracy of impressions across different images containing natural variability in one’s appearance.…”

Thin-Slice Judgments of Children’s Social Status and Behavior

“…One study showed that, based on thin slice video fragments, youth's externalizing problems and temperament can be judged above chance levels by unacquainted observers (Tackett et al, 2017). Another study using photographs showed that children's trustworthiness can be judged above chance levels by unacquainted adults and children as well (Li et al, 2019). Judgments of the children's trustworthiness were mediated by the extent to which the children were well-liked among their classroom peers.…”