The long range objective of the proposed research is to identify both the origins and consequences of appearance-based social perceptions. A person's appearance has a strong impact on social expectations and social interactions. While this is often adaptive, as when we correctly utilize age-related appearance information, it can also contribute to stereotyping, as when we perceive babyfaced adults to be weak, submissive, and naive. Such stereotyped perceptions may yield social discrimination and self- fulfilling prophecies--i.e., expectancy confirming behaviors - with deleterious effects on a person's self-esteem. The proposed research tests a model of behavioral development in which personality is a function of a person's genotypic temperament and social experiences that are shaped in part by the person's physical appearance. The focus is on the appearance quality of facial maturity although facial attractiveness and body characteristics are also considered. To achieve the specific aims of this research, a life span developmental approach will be employed utilizing longitudinal data from the archives of the Institute of Human Development (IHD) at the University of California, Berkeley. This data set includes photographs of individuals from early childhood through older adulthood, as well as various personality, anthropometric, intellectual, and demographic measures. The research has four specific aims.
One aim i s to determine the stability of a babyface across the lifespan.
A second aim i s to determine whether facial maturity is an accurate indictor of traits - i.e., is there a kernel of truth to the babyface stereotypes? A third aim is to determine whether facial maturity affects educational and occupational attainments.
A final aim i s to determine the impact of facial maturity on personality across the lifespan. Does a babyface contribute to the development of certain traits? Is the continuity of personality impacted by the degree of continuity in babyfacedness? The understanding of the origins and manifestations of appearance-based social perceptions that this research will provide can inform interventions designed to foster appropriate utilization of the information given in appearance and to diminish its maladaptive uses.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01MH042684-04
Application #
3381937
Study Section
Mental Health Behavioral Sciences Research Review Committee (BSR)
Project Start
1987-06-01
Project End
1995-05-31
Budget Start
1990-06-01
Budget End
1991-05-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
1990
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Brandeis University
Department
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
616845814
City
Waltham
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02454
Zebrowitz, L A; Andreoletti, C; Collins, M A et al. (1998) Bright, bad, babyfaced boys: appearance stereotypes do not always yield self-fulfilling prophecy effects. J Pers Soc Psychol 75:1300-20
Zebrowitz, L A; Olson, K; Hoffman, K (1993) Stability of babyfaceness and attractiveness across the life span. J Pers Soc Psychol 64:453-66
Zebrowitz, L A; Montepare, J M; Lee, H K (1993) They don't all look alike: individuated impressions of other racial groups. J Pers Soc Psychol 65:85-101
Zebrowitz, L A; Kendall-Tackett, K; Fafel, J (1991) The influence of children's facial maturity on parental expectations and punishments. J Exp Child Psychol 52:221-38