Stereotypes of Scalp and Facial Hair as Measured by the Semantic Differential

Abstract

36 male and 44 female college students were presented with a series of 15 stimuli which were designed to represent the variables of hair color, hair length, quantity of scalp hair, hair quality and amount of facial hair. Each stimulus was rated on scales representing the Evaluative, Potency, and Activity dimensions. The proposition that stereotypes are identifiable was strongly confirmed. Of 18 specific predictions 15 were also confirmed. Explanation in full of these findings was not effected.

Influence of Perceived Height, Masculinity, and Age on Each Other and on Perceptions of Dominance in Male Faces

“…The influence of age on overall facial dominance, however, remains unclear. Roll and Verinis (1971) found that balding figures are judged to be less potent and active, suggesting that baldness may actually indicate low dominance. Similarly, dominance scores assigned to the photographs of men from a military academy were slightly lower later in their career (approximately 40-49 years old) than they were as cadets (approximately 18-27 years old) (Mueller & Mazur, 1996).…”

Social Perceptions of Male Pattern Baldness. A Review

“…Thus, the ecological validity of both Kühnel's and Seiller-Tarbuk's findings is questionable. Another study that relied on schematic faces was conducted by Roll and Verinis [41]. Sketches designed by a commercial artist systematically varied hair color, hair length, hair quality, facial hair, and -pertinent to the present topic -amount of scalp hair (regular, balding, bald).…”

Person perception through facial photographs: Effects of glasses, hair, and beard on judgments of occupation and personal qualities

“…Wearing a beard tends to increase judgments of qualities usually attributed to men, such as masculinity, aggressiveness, dominance, strength, and self-confidence (Addison, 1989;Kenny and Fletcher, 1973;Pancer and Meindl, 1978;Pellegrini, 1973;Reed and Blunk, 1990;Roll and Verinis, 1971). In a study by Wood (1986), putting on a false beard and taking a look in the mmor increased self-perceived masculinity Freedman (1969) hypothesized that beardedness was adaptive in human evolution, and suggested that 'beards make men more appealing to women and perhaps help love to blossom.…”