distrust as a given for politicians

baby-face bias isn't just the irrational desire to hear bad music. it's also the phenomenon wherein we perceive adults with babyish faces to be more naive, honest, and kind than their more mature-faced counterparts.

i recalled this bias with a laugh when i heard that a baby face actually hurts political candidates. in a recent study, politicians who lack baby faces won more votes, and more elections. perhaps we aren't seeking honesty and kindness in our representatives.

but for those baby faces among us, don't despair. we may not be winning politicians, but past baby-face studies indicating that a less-mature face helps us get away with all sorts of other crimes. judges seem to be unable to imagine baby-faced individuals as intentionally causing harm (see zebrowitz 1991). however, importantly, judges can think of baby-faced folks as incompetent - perhaps leading us, in part, to the results of the current study.

Labels: misc. psych, political