TY - JOUR
T1 - Facial Stereotype Visualization Through Image Averaging
AU - Oldmeadow, Julian A.
AU - Sutherland, Clare A M
AU - Young, Andrew W.
PY - 2013/9
Y1 - 2013/9
N2 - Facial stereotypes are cognitive representations of the facial characteristics of members of social groups. In this study, we examined the extent to which facial stereotypes for occupational groups were based on physiognomic cues to stereotypical social characteristics. In Experiment 1, participants rated the occupational stereotypicality of naturalistic face images. These ratings were then regressed onto independent ratings of the faces on 16 separate traits. These traits, particularly those relevant to the occupational stereotype, explained the majority of variance in occupational stereotypicality ratings. In Experiments 2 and 3, we used trait ratings to reconstruct stereotypical occupation faces from a separate set of images, using face averaging techniques. These reconstructed facial stereotypes were validated by separate groups of participants as conforming to the occupational stereotype. These results indicate that facial cues and group stereotypes are integrated through shared semantic content in the cognitive representations of groups.
AB - Facial stereotypes are cognitive representations of the facial characteristics of members of social groups. In this study, we examined the extent to which facial stereotypes for occupational groups were based on physiognomic cues to stereotypical social characteristics. In Experiment 1, participants rated the occupational stereotypicality of naturalistic face images. These ratings were then regressed onto independent ratings of the faces on 16 separate traits. These traits, particularly those relevant to the occupational stereotype, explained the majority of variance in occupational stereotypicality ratings. In Experiments 2 and 3, we used trait ratings to reconstruct stereotypical occupation faces from a separate set of images, using face averaging techniques. These reconstructed facial stereotypes were validated by separate groups of participants as conforming to the occupational stereotype. These results indicate that facial cues and group stereotypes are integrated through shared semantic content in the cognitive representations of groups.
KW - face averaging
KW - face perception
KW - occupations
KW - stereotypes
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84881245621&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/1948550612469820
DO - 10.1177/1948550612469820
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84881245621
SN - 1948-5506
VL - 4
SP - 615
EP - 623
JO - Social Psychological and Personality Science
JF - Social Psychological and Personality Science
IS - 5
ER -