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Politicians pose left but the voter is always right
Cassandra L Baragar1,2, Lorin J Elias3, Austen K Smith4
1Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Canada.
Scientific Reports
|November 1, 2025
Summary
Voters perceive individuals showing their left cheek as friendlier but choose to vote for those presenting their right cheek. Politicians often present their left cheek, a pose less favored for voting choices.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Political Science
Background:
- Emotional expression and perception show brain asymmetry, often visible in portrait cheek presentation.
- Left cheek presentation is common in emotional photos and perceived as more expressive, but context matters.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how the perception of left versus right cheek poses influences vote choice.
- To determine if participants select candidates based on cheek presentation in portraits.
Main Methods:
- Participants were shown portraits and asked to identify who they would vote for and who appeared friendlier.
- Analysis compared participant choices for left versus right cheek poses.
Main Results:
- Participants found left cheek poses friendlier and selected right cheek poses for voting.
- A significant difference was observed between friendliness and voting choices based on cheek presentation.
Conclusions:
- Voter perception favors right cheek presentation for voting decisions, contrasting with the left cheek's association with friendliness.
- Elected officials frequently present their left cheek in portraits, a trend that may not align with voter preferences for electoral success.
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