Enhancing static facial features increases intimidation

• Faces that are tilted upward or downward are perceived as more intimidating.
• Tilting one's face increases one's facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR).
• Individuals spontaneously increase their fWHR to appear intimidating.

Previous research has established that a face's width-to-height ratio (fWHR) is pivotal in influencing observer evaluations, as individuals with a high fWHR are perceived as intimidating along multiple dimensions. Specifically, high-fWHR individuals are considered untrustworthy, aggressive, and prejudiced. Unlike other facial features involved in intimidation, fWHR is dependent upon bone structure and thus static. The current research examines whether individuals, in an effort to appear more intimidating, increase their perceived fWHR by manipulating the angle at which their faces are viewed. In Study 1, participants spontaneously posing as “intimidating” for photos had a greater fWHR compared to when they posed for a baseline photo. Additionally, individuals with smaller baseline fWHRs, who would be particularly likely to benefit from augmenting their perceived fWHR, increased their fWHR more than individuals with larger fWHRs by tilting their heads more sharply. In Study 2 participants evaluated targets posed with their faces tilted or non-tilted. When targets were presented with their faces tilted they were evaluated as more intimidating than non-tilted baseline photos of the same target. This effect was greater for targets with larger baseline fWHRs. Up- or down-tilt and target gender differentially moderated this relationship. The current research presents evidence that individuals behaviorally manipulate their perceived fWHR in order to appear more intimidating.

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