From Prominent to Proportionate: Social Perceptions of Patients With Prominent Ears Undergoing Otoplasty

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Psychology
• Craniofacial Research

Background:

• Prominent ears are a common congenital difference causing psychosocial distress in children.
• Otoplasty (ear surgery) aims to correct prominent ears but its impact on social perception is unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate how otoplasty surgery influences public perception of pediatric patients.
• To assess changes in social judgments based on pre- and postoperative images.

Main Methods:

• An online survey rated preoperative and postoperative photos of 2 pediatric patients.
• 998 adult respondents evaluated images across social domains using a 7-point Likert scale.

Main Results:

• Postoperative images of Patient 1 showed increased perceptions of submissiveness, untrustworthiness, unattractiveness, loneliness, anxiety, and lower socioeconomic status, but also career success.
• Postoperative images of Patient 2 showed increased perceptions of dominance, unattractiveness, sadness, and social undesirability, but reduced likelihood of low socioeconomic status.

Conclusions:

• Otoplasty may not uniformly enhance social perception in pediatric patients.
• Observed benefits might stem from internal behavioral adjustments rather than solely anatomical changes.
• Further research is needed on perceived age, behavior, and other visual cues influencing social impressions.