Knowledge of identity reduces variability in trait judgements across face images

Taylor Gogan, Jennifer Beaudry, Julian Oldmeadow

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    Abstract

    Faces vary from image to image, eliciting different judgements of traits and often different judgements of identity. Knowledge that two face images belong to the same person facilitates the processing of identity information across images, but it is unclear if this also applies to trait judgements. In this preregistered study, participants (N = 100) rated the same 340 face images on perceived trustworthiness, dominance, or attractiveness presented in randomised order and again later presented in sets consisting of the same identity. We also explored the role of implicit person theory beliefs in the variability of social judgements across images. We found that judgements of trustworthiness varied less when images were presented in sets consisting of the same identity than in randomised order and were more consistent for images presented later in a set than those presented earlier. However, knowledge of identity had little effect on perceptions of dominance and attractiveness. Finally, implicit person theory beliefs were not associated with variability in social judgements and did not account for effects of knowledge of identity. Our findings suggest that knowledge of identity and perceptual familiarity stabilises judgements of trustworthiness, but not perceptions of dominance and attractiveness.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)2053-2067
    Number of pages15
    JournalQuarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology
    Volume76
    Issue number9
    Early online date19 Oct 2022
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Sept 2023

    Keywords

    • Face perception
    • first impressions
    • trait judgements
    • within-person variability

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