title: Detection of Propensity for Aggression based on Facial Structure Irrespective of Face Race.
abstract: The human face provides a wealth of information pertaining to the internal state and life-stage history of an individual. Facial width-to-height ratio is a size-independent sexually dimorphic trait, and estimates of aggression made by untrained adults judging own-race faces were positively associated with both facial width-to-height ratio and actual aggressive behavior. Given the significant adaptive value of accurately detecting aggressiveness based on facial appearance, we hypothesized that aggression estimates made by adults and 8-year-olds would be highly correlated with male facial width-to-height ratio even for a face category with which they had minimal experience-other-race faces. For each of the four race and age groups, estimates of aggression were positively correlated with facial width-to-height ratio irrespective of rating own-or other-race faces. Overall, the correlations between facial width-to-height ratio and ratings of aggression were stronger for adults than for children. Sensitivity to facial width-to-height ratio appears to be part of an evolved mechanism designed to detect threats in the external environment. This mechanism is likely broadly tuned and functions independently of experience.
authors.affiliation: Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Lindsey A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Short
authors.forename: Catherine J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Mondloch
authors.forename: Cheryl M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: McCormick
authors.forename: Justin M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Carré
authors.forename: Ruqian
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Genyue
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Kang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lee