December 15, 2009

Physical appearance predicts personality

The paper is open access.

Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin Vol. 35, No. 12, 1661-1671, DOI: 10.1177/0146167209346309

Personality Judgments Based on Physical Appearance

Laura P. Naumann et al.

Abstract

Despite the crucial role of physical appearance in forming first impressions, little research has examined the accuracy of personality impressions based on appearance alone. This study examined the accuracy of observers’ impressions on 10 personality traits based on full-body photographs using criterion measures based on self and peer reports. When targets’ posture and expression were constrained (standardized condition), observers’ judgments were accurate for extraversion, self-esteem, and religiosity. When targets were photographed with a spontaneous pose and facial expression (spontaneous condition), observers’ judgments were accurate for almost all of the traits examined. Lens model analyses demonstrated that both static cues (e.g., clothing style) and dynamic cues (e.g., facial expression, posture) offered valuable personality-relevant information. These results suggest that personality is manifested through both static and expressive channels of appearance, and observers use this information to form accurate judgments for a variety of traits.

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4 comments:

AG said...

Actors then are all cons

Anonymous said...

Probably why they are actors.

I am having a hard time accepting this information, in fact I reckon it is bull.

Fanty said...

Well...
Why not?

They claim humans analyse DNA by body odors when chosing a mate.

So, why do we need labs and need to wait weeks and weeks when its all possible in real time? ^^

highduke said...

not a surprise. the ancient greeks put alot of stock on physionomy.