EVALUATIONS OF POLITICIANS' FACES

In: Political psychology: journal of the International Society of Political Psychology, Band 4, Heft 4, S. 713-716

Abstract

THIS STUDY WAS CONCERNED WITH THE FACIAL APPEARANCE OF CANDIDATES IN THE 1979 BRITISH GENERAL ELECTION. ONE OF ITS TWO AIMS WAS TO SEE IF THE FINDINGS OF BULL AND HAWKES (1982) WOULD BE REPLICATED IN MARGINAL CONSTITUENCIES. THIS PROVED TO BE THE CASE IN THAT THE FACES OF CANDIDATES THAT OBSERVERS (WHO DID NOT KNOW THEM) JUDGED TO BE SUPPORTERS OF THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY WERE RATED AS MORE INTELLIGENT, ATTRACTIVE, HONEST, AND OF HIGHER SOCIAL CLASS THAN WERE THE FACES OF CANDIDATES JUDGED TO BE FROM THE LABOUR PARTY. THE FINDINGS WERE UNINFLUENCED BY THE POLITICAL ALLEGIANCES OF THE OBSERVERS. THE SECOND AIM WAS TO SEE IF ANY OF THE RATINGS OF CANDIDATES' FACES WOULD RELATE TO THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF VOTES SUBSEQUENTLY CAST FOR THEM IN THE ELECTION. PERHAPS BECAUSE THE ELECTION RESULTS WERE FAR LESS MARGINAL THAN EXPERT OPINION HAD EXPECTED, IN THAT THERE WAS A VERY STRONG VOTE SWING TO THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY, NONE OF THE RATINGS RELATED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE NUMBERS OF VOTES CAST.