Why do some people, even without knowing them, inspire us more trust than others? This is the question that a team of researchers from the Charles University in Prague has tried to answer. The results of the analysis show that the color of the eyes and the shape of the face are important in our perception.
The scientists recruited more than 200 participants who were shown portraits of 80 European men and women. The volunteers had to assign each portrait a score from 1 to 10 according to the degree of confidence it inspired them. The results, published in Plos One magazine, revealed that for both men and women, brown eyes inspire more confidence than blue eyes. In addition, men with round faces and a large chin and mouth were also a source of trustworthiness. On the other hand, in general the faces of women conveyed more confidence to the participants.
The researchers also found that, in general, dark-eyed people have broader faces, and they suggest that it is precisely the shape of the face that determines the confidence transmitted by someone. Other studies have found that rounded faces with closer brows and large, baby-like eyes inspire more confidence than angular faces with small eyes.
The next step will be to repeat the research with other ethnic groups to see if this is a universal trend or varies based on race or region of origin.
