Perspective taking reduces intergroup bias in visual representations of faces

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Human Perception

Background:

• Intergroup biases influence person perception, including visual representations of faces.
• Ingroup members' faces are typically perceived more positively than outgroup members' faces.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if perspective taking can mitigate biased visual representations of faces.
• To examine the impact of actively imagining another person's mental states on intergroup facial bias.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a reverse-correlation paradigm for face image generation.
• Participants engaged in perspective taking or control tasks with minimal group assignments.
• Assessed facial bias using image ratings, sequential priming, and a trust game.

Main Results:

• Ingroup faces were rated as more likable and trustworthy than outgroup faces.
• Perspective taking consistently reduced the strength of this intergroup facial bias.
• The mouth region, specifically smiling cues, was identified as critical for these effects.

Conclusions:

• Perspective taking shows potential as a strategy to reduce, but not eliminate, intergroup biases in facial perception.
• Findings highlight the role of cognitive strategies in modulating automatic social biases.