How Ethnicity, Expression, and Study Design Influence First Impressions of Approachability

Over two studies, participants (total N = 642) rated a community sample of photographs of Black, East Asian, and White males who were smiling or portraying a neutral expression to see how participant ethnicity, target ethnicity, and target expression influence judgments of approachability (i.e., trustworthiness, friendliness, and threat). We also examined how a commonly used study design, in which each participant is asked to evaluate different groups of people, may motivate participants to adjust their ratings in an effort to avoid appearing biased. Results showed that the White participant group tended to rate smiling targets as friendlier (Studies 1 and 2) and more trustworthy (Study 1) than did the non-White participant group, which could be due to cultural differences based on majority versus minority status among the participants. In addition, the White participant group tended to rate White targets more positively than did the non-White participant group, suggesting an in-group bias. Finally, differences in results between Studies 1 and 2 suggest that study design can influence the degree of bias responding, highlighting the importance of incorporating a diversity of methods to better understand first impression judgments.