Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Dark Triad and Person Perception

Dark Triad and Person Perception

Person perception is influenced by both external behaviors and the observer’s internal characteristics, including personality traits. Individuals with dark personality traits, comprising psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism — collectively known as the dark triad – exhibit manipulative and exploitative tendencies in social contexts. These traits affect how they perceive others and how they are perceived.The Role of Dark Personality Traits in Person PerceptionBlack et...

Trait Centrality

Trait Centrality

Trait centrality refers to the degree to which a particular characteristic influences the overall impression of an individual. Some traits exert a disproportionately strong impact on perception, shaping how people interpret other attributes of a person. Solomon Asch first systematically studied this phenomenon in 1946.Asch’s Experiment on Trait CentralityAsch's seminal study demonstrated the centrality of certain traits through a controlled experiment. Participants were presented with a...

Implicit Personality Theories

Implicit Personality Theories

Implicit personality theory explains how individuals make assumptions about the relationships between personality traits, behaviors, and character types. When people learn that someone possesses a particular trait, they tend to infer the presence of other related characteristics, forming a cohesive impression. This cognitive shortcut plays a crucial role in social interactions and interpersonal judgments.Central Traits and Their InfluenceSolomon Asch's seminal 1946 study highlighted the power...

Facial Feedback Hypothesis

Facial Feedback Hypothesis

Charles Darwin proposed that facial expressions are an evolutionary adaptation for communication. He argued that these expressions are not influenced by culture but are universal across species. For example, a snarling expression with exposed teeth signals a threat in many animals, including humans. Darwin also suggested that displaying an emotion can intensify the feeling. Smiling, for example, could enhance one's sense of happiness. This idea laid the foundation for understanding the role...

Stereotype Content Model

Stereotype Content Model

The Stereotype Content Model (SCM) was first proposed by Susan Fiske and her colleagues (Fiske, Cuddy, Glick & Xu, 2002; see also Fiske, 2012 and Fiske, 2017). The SCM specifies that when someone encounters a new group, they will stereotype them based on two metrics: warmth—or that group’s perceived intent, and how likely they are to provide help or inflict harm—and competence—or their ability to carry out that objective. Depending on the warmth-competence...

Factors Influencing Attraction VI: Personality Traits

Factors Influencing Attraction VI: Personality Traits

Personality traits are fundamental in shaping social perception and influencing interpersonal relationships. Certain traits, such as agreeableness and extraversion, contribute positively to social interactions, whereas others, such as narcissism, have complex and often contradictory effects on how individuals are perceived over time.The Role of Agreeableness and ExtraversionAgreeableness and extraversion are associated with higher levels of interpersonal attractiveness and likability.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same authorSame journal

Short-Term and Long-Term Mating Strategies Show Distinct Patterns of Attraction to Dominance and Prestige.

Social psychological and personality science·2026

Same author

Stereotypes and social decisions: The interpersonal consequences of socioeconomic status.

Journal of personality and social psychology·2025

Same author

The benefits of transformational leadership for addressing workplace emotions after COVID-19 at a large multi-campus university.

Discover psychology·2024

Same author

Smile variation leaks personality and increases the accuracy of interpersonal judgments.

PNAS nexus·2024

Same author

Social judgments from faces and bodies.

Journal of personality and social psychology·2024

Same author

Relating Facial Trustworthiness to Antisocial Behavior in Adolescent and Adult Men.

Journal of nonverbal behavior·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 24, 2025

Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses

Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses

Published on: September 28, 2018

Dictators Differ From Democratically Elected Leaders in Facial Warmth.

Miranda Giacomin¹, Alexander Mulligan², Nicholas O Rule²

¹Department of Psychology, MacEwan University, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Social Psychological and Personality Science

|August 16, 2021

Summary

Facial appearance influences leader selection. Studies show democratically elected leaders appear more attractive and warmer than dictators, suggesting looks impact political success.

Keywords:

democrats dictators face perception leadership

More Related Videos

Reverse Dissection and DiceCT Reveal Otherwise Hidden Data in the Evolution of the Primate Face

Reverse Dissection and DiceCT Reveal Otherwise Hidden Data in the Evolution of the Primate Face

Published on: January 7, 2019

Investigating the 'Uncatchable Smile' in Leonardo da Vinci's La Bella Principessa: A Comparison with the Mona Lisa and Pollaiuolo's Portrait of a Girl

Investigating the 'Uncatchable Smile' in Leonardo da Vinci's La Bella Principessa: A Comparison with the Mona Lisa and Pollaiuolo's Portrait of a Girl

Published on: October 4, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Oct 24, 2025

Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses

Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses

Published on: September 28, 2018

Reverse Dissection and DiceCT Reveal Otherwise Hidden Data in the Evolution of the Primate Face

Reverse Dissection and DiceCT Reveal Otherwise Hidden Data in the Evolution of the Primate Face

Published on: January 7, 2019

Investigating the 'Uncatchable Smile' in Leonardo da Vinci's La Bella Principessa: A Comparison with the Mona Lisa and Pollaiuolo's Portrait of a Girl

Investigating the 'Uncatchable Smile' in Leonardo da Vinci's La Bella Principessa: A Comparison with the Mona Lisa and Pollaiuolo's Portrait of a Girl

Published on: October 4, 2016

Area of Science:

Political Science
Psychology
Social Science

Background:

Facial appearance plays a significant role in leadership selection.
Previous research highlights the impact of appearance in political elections.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate differences in perceptions between dictators and democratically elected leaders based on facial appearance.
To determine if specific facial traits correlate with leadership type.

Main Methods:

Study 1: Participants classified 160 world leaders as democrats or dictators.
Study 2: Participants rated leaders' faces on affect, attractiveness, competence, dominance, facial maturity, likability, and trustworthiness.

Main Results:

Leaders were classified as democrats or dictators significantly better than chance.
Democratically elected leaders were perceived as significantly more attractive and warmer (likable and trustworthy) than dictators.

Conclusions:

Facial attractiveness and perceived warmth differentiate democratically elected leaders from dictators.
A leader's facial appearance may contribute to their success within their political system.