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Face perception: Attributions, asymmetries and stereotypes
Author(s) -
Rhodes Gillian,
Lynskey Michael
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
british journal of social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 2044-8309
pISSN - 0144-6665
DOI - 10.1111/j.2044-8309.1990.tb00917.x
Subject(s) - attribution , psychology , perception , social perception , ethnic group , perspective (graphical) , social psychology , face (sociological concept) , linguistics , anthropology , computer science , philosophy , neuroscience , artificial intelligence , sociology
We investigated the role of ethnic stereotypes and facial asymmetries in attributions to unfamiliar faces. Stereotypicality ratings of adjectives were collected and compared with attributions of those adjectives to left and right hemiface (from the model's perspective) composites of Chinese and Caucasian faces made by Caucasian subjects in a previous study (Rhodes & Lynskey, 1989). Stereotypicality correlated significantly with attribution frequency for other group (Chinese) faces only. Face asymmetries also influenced attributions: happy, cheerful and excitable were selectively attributed to left hemiface composites (for both Chinese and Caucasian faces); cold and cruel were selectively attributed to right hemiface composites (for Caucasian faces only).