Face Value

This book is a nice complement to the one above with its extensive reporting on studies about the face, with an emphasis on the irresistible influence of first impressions, based on neuroscientific findings. We all makes snap decisions based on these first impressions, which can underlie important decisions such as who to vote for. Using composite faces shown in various different but similar frames - a morphing continuum, and we tend to associate particular features with dominance, criminality, attractiveness, competence and trustworthiness. Readers can conduct their own experiments while reading the book to see if they agree that personality can be read from faces - this has its own dedicated brain area. The author also makes the interesting observation that, from most of our evolutionary history, we have lived in small groups where we do not have to rely on appearance information to draw inferences about character. At any rate, readers will emerge with greater self-awareness from this study, even if we all continue to trust first impressions.