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Physiognomy: Difference between revisions
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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 ancient art of deducing someone's personality and character from their countenance, particularly | '''Physiognomy''' is the ancient art of deducing someone's personality and character from their countenance and appearance, particularly regarding facial features. | ||
The concept has returned in recent years in modern internet culture, particularly among the [[alt-right|right wing]]. This usage is often accompanied by the term 'physiognomy check,' often in the context of mocking the personal appearance of political opponents or personal rivals. This usage further implies that the target of the 'checks' character matches their facial appearance.<ref>https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/physiognomy</ref> | The concept has returned in recent years in modern internet culture, particularly among the [[alt-right|right wing]]. This usage is often accompanied by the term 'physiognomy check,' often in the context of mocking the personal appearance of political opponents or personal rivals. This usage further implies that the target of the 'physiognomy checks' character matches their facial appearance.<ref>https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/physiognomy</ref> | ||
The concept has also been revived in modern social science, though such research has proven controversial. | |||
Physiognomy is commonly confused with related concepts such as phrenology, which is the belief that one can determine a person's personality, intelligence, and propensity to engage in criminal activity by evaluating the shape of their skull, mainly the bump on the crown, said to correlate with the development of specific brain regions. Phrenology was popular in the Victorian era and has since fallen out of favor in the scientific community. | |||
==Criticism== | ==Criticism== | ||
Due to its vast and varied pre-scientific history, physiognomy has gone out of fashion in mainstream scientific research. It is commonly conflated with pseudo-scientific practices such as astrology and palmistry, particularly in East Asian cultures.<ref>https://www.tokyojournal.com/sections/trends-society/item/511-face-reading-in-japan.html</ref> | |||
In Western countries, there is also a common cultural ideal to not 'rush to judgment' or 'judge a book by its cover,' which makes such research inherently controversial. The fear here is that the social implications of such research will reinforce harmful biases. Physiognomy also implies that some character traits are literally hardwired, 'down to the bone,' which is opposed by the popular view of human nature as being a blank slate. However, in the past, it was commonly asserted that behavior could physically reshape one's face to more accurately reflect one's inner character, meaning this research will not necessarily be interpreted in a hereditarian manner.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41274102</ref> | |||
Many scientific studies have also linked physical appearance with certain personality/character traits above chance, though most researchers shy away from using the term 'physiognomy' explicitly. | Many scientific studies have also linked physical appearance with certain personality/character traits above chance, though most researchers shy away from using the term 'physiognomy' explicitly. | ||
More tangible results are described below. Often, this research has low effect sizes, small sample sizes, and is potentially unreliable. Part of this may be because this field is controversial and unprestigious and not likely to win individual differences researchers any grant money. However, the effect sizes are not out of the range commonly seen in psychological science,<ref>https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886916308194</ref> and may have practical applications, <ref>https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2515245919847202</ref> especially when the measurement error inherent to this field of research is considered. | More tangible results are described below. Often, this research has low effect sizes, small sample sizes, and is potentially unreliable. Part of this may be because this field is controversial and unprestigious and not likely to win individual differences researchers any grant money. However, the effect sizes are not out of the range commonly seen in psychological science,<ref>https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886916308194</ref> and may have practical applications, <ref>https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2515245919847202</ref> especially when the measurement error inherent to this field of research is considered. | ||