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[[File:512px-A bizarre physiognomical caricature with a figure pointing t Wellcome V0017234.jpg|300x300px|right]] | [[File:512px-A bizarre physiognomical caricature with a figure pointing t Wellcome V0017234.jpg|300x300px|right]] | ||
'''Physiognomy''' is the former art and now science of deducing the predominant temper and other characteristic qualities of the mind from the outward appearance, especially from the features of the face.<ref>https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0304418188900024</ref> | '''Physiognomy''' is the former art and now science of deducing the predominant temper and other characteristic qualities of the mind from the outward appearance, especially from the features of the face.<ref>https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0304418188900024</ref> | ||
Physiognomy has gotten out of fashion due to its pseudoscientific history. With the machine learning hype, the field has regained some recognition, e.g. machine learning was used to detect peoples individual's behavioral tendencies via facial analysis, however it remains unclear whether the software can produce above-chance results based on facial or contextual cues.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jul/07/artificial-intelligence-can-tell-your-sexuality-politics-surveillance-paul-lewis</ref> But more tangible results were also found as described below. | Physiognomy has gotten out of fashion due to its pseudoscientific history. With the machine learning hype, the field has regained some recognition, e.g. machine learning was used to detect peoples individual's behavioral tendencies via facial analysis, however it remains unclear whether the software can produce above-chance results based on facial or contextual cues.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jul/07/artificial-intelligence-can-tell-your-sexuality-politics-surveillance-paul-lewis</ref> But more tangible results were also found as described below, but none of them have effect sizes large enough that one could assume them to be generally and reliably noticeable. | ||
Generally people are treated based on how they look, and thus people learn to behave like how they look, creating a feedback loop. This is especially true for people with exotic looks. For example, Anton Lavey founder of the Satanic Church, always had an extremely evil, unconventionally attractive looking face. Anton (real name Howard) was always treated as being a literal handsome devil. Anton enjoyed this treatment and decided to mold his personality to his looks.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_LaVey</ref> Still, others may not be so accepting of how people treat them based on facial features. For example, a [[Pretty Boy|pretty boy]] may not enjoy being treated as a pretty boy and become more muscular in an attempt to be treated or seen as [[gigachad]]. | Generally people are treated based on how they look, and thus people learn to behave like how they look, creating a feedback loop. This is especially true for people with exotic looks. For example, Anton Lavey founder of the Satanic Church, always had an extremely evil, unconventionally attractive looking face. Anton (real name Howard) was always treated as being a literal handsome devil. Anton enjoyed this treatment and decided to mold his personality to his looks.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_LaVey</ref> Still, others may not be so accepting of how people treat them based on facial features. For example, a [[Pretty Boy|pretty boy]] may not enjoy being treated as a pretty boy and become more muscular in an attempt to be treated or seen as [[gigachad]]. | ||
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* Holtzman (2011) created a series of prototypical faces corresponding to each of the traits of the [[dark triad]], using the photos of 81 study participants, who completed self-report inventories designed to measure the levels of the dark triad traits. The participants were also evaluated in regards to their level of dark triad traits by their peers. It was found that observers could (above chance) correctly distinguish between high and low morphs of the various "dark traits", thus lending some evidence to the idea that these traits are correlated with a certain facial structure. This correlation was explained by several hypothesis, the facial traits and the dark triad being co-evolved, the facial traits influencing people's self perception and thus behavior, or that individuals are possibly conditioned to behave in a way 'congruent' with their facial structure by peers, through constant social reinforcement.<ref>https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232381817_Facing_a_psychopath_Detecting_the_Dark_Triad_from_emotionally-neutral_faces_using_prototypes_from_the_Personality_Faceaurus#pf6</ref> | * Holtzman (2011) created a series of prototypical faces corresponding to each of the traits of the [[dark triad]], using the photos of 81 study participants, who completed self-report inventories designed to measure the levels of the dark triad traits. The participants were also evaluated in regards to their level of dark triad traits by their peers. It was found that observers could (above chance) correctly distinguish between high and low morphs of the various "dark traits", thus lending some evidence to the idea that these traits are correlated with a certain facial structure. This correlation was explained by several hypothesis, the facial traits and the dark triad being co-evolved, the facial traits influencing people's self perception and thus behavior, or that individuals are possibly conditioned to behave in a way 'congruent' with their facial structure by peers, through constant social reinforcement.<ref>https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232381817_Facing_a_psychopath_Detecting_the_Dark_Triad_from_emotionally-neutral_faces_using_prototypes_from_the_Personality_Faceaurus#pf6</ref> | ||
* A Chinese study claimed to be able to tell whether someone is a criminal based on machine learning, but the technique turned out to detect smiling instead.<ref>https://twitter.com/davidjayharris/status/1103636069180993537</ref> | * A Chinese study claimed to be able to tell whether someone is a criminal based on machine learning, but the technique turned out to detect smiling instead.<ref>https://twitter.com/davidjayharris/status/1103636069180993537</ref> | ||
* Certain behavioral conditions may result in particular facial expressions. E.g. very intense people might bit their lips, crunch their teeth etc. Autists are often described to have an empty, monotonous facial expression. Some mental conditions result in a tilted mouth. Socially excluded individuals may develop ticks as nobody is there to correct their behavior or as a stress-induced tics. People are able to infer other's mental conditions above chance level.<ref>https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0092656618300394</ref> | |||
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||