New research indicates that the first one-tenth of a second is all that is required for our brain to make a decision as to whether we like the person or not.According to US psychologist, Alex Todorov, people respond intuitively to faces so rapidly, that their reasoning minds may not have time to influence the reaction.
"The link between facial features and character may be tenuous at best, but that doesn't stop our minds from sizing other people up at a glance. We decide very quickly whether a person possesses many of the traits we feel are important, such as likeability and competence, even though we have not exchanged a single word with them", Mr Todorov explained.
"We still don't know the physical features of a face that lead to a particular trait inference. We know generally what makes a face attractive, such as its symmetry, the proportions of its parts and the like. But what is it about a face that makes you think its owner is an essentially competent person? That's the subject of another study, one that needs to be done", Mr Todorov added.
So I guess people who underwent plastic surgery will make a big difference in influencing the likeability factor after all.
Link: IrishHealth.com
Image: Kate Andrews / Flickr
Tags: Judgement | Likeability | Competence | Face | Facial | Decision | Thought
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