Embodiment effect of relative height on face perception
This project investigates whether there is an embodiment effect of
relative height on the dominance perception of facial stimuli. Does the
physical position of an observer relatively to the observed (above vs
below) translate into differences in perceives psychological
dominance?
The dominance-submissiveness dimension is a fundamental organizer of
human relations (Burgoon & Hoobler, 2002; Hall & Friedman,
1999). The human face is a fundamental communication tool between
humans. Thus, a better comprehension of how humans convey
dominance/submissiveness signals with their face is critical in order
to understand the process underlying human relations. There is
preliminary evidence that the perception of dominance/submissiveness in
social interaction is basically embodied by relative height. As height
is highly correlated with strength, this makes sense from an
evolutionary and/or a developmental point of view. It is adaptive to
act submissively (or at least not to show off) towards someone taller
than you because you have a lesser chance to be attacked and can even
gain protection. Conversely, it is adaptive to act dominant (or in
control) towards someone shorter than you because you can exploit their
resources and potentially protect them to maximize your gains. As the
face is a crucial communication tool in humans, a cognitive system that
enhances the submissiveness perception of the face of someone smaller
than you or that enhances the dominance perception of the face of
someone taller is more likely to trigger action tendencies that help to
pass one’s genes to the next generation. To test this idea I am
conducting experiments that investigate whether neutral or ambiguous
face stimuli presented above or below participants’ eye level are
perceived respectively as more dominant/aggressive or
submissive/friendly.