Formidable Male Facial Structures Influence Postconflict Reconciliation Judgments

• Published in: Evolutionary behavioral sciences 2022-07, Vol.16 (3), p.229-244
• Main Authors: Brown, Mitch, Sacco, Donald F., Barbaro, Nicole
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Court decisions; Evolutionary Psychology; Face Perception; Facial Features; Female; Hominids; Human; Human Males; Ingratiation; Judgment; Male; Males; Men; Reconciliation; Respect; Width
• ISSN: 2330-2925; 2330-2933
• DOI: 10.1037/ebs0000260

Individuals utilize male facial structures to make inferences regarding men's formidability, with a high facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) being associated with greater perceived male formidability. Although such men would additionally be perceived as interpersonally threatening and prompt general aversion, ingratiation following conflict could prove advantageous to prevent future conflict. Defeated men typically ingratiate themselves heavily with other men following physical conflict through postconflict reconciliation, which could serve to strengthen coalitional bonds. We conducted two studies to identify how men expect postconflict reconciliation to occur based on the presence of facial structures connoting formidability. Men indicated their expectations of displaying and receiving respect toward high- and low-fWHR men following hypothetical wins and losses in physical fights with them; Study 1 (N = 238) only considered White opponents, and Study 2 (N = 303) compared Black and White opponents. Participants expected to display similar levels of respect toward high- and low-fWHR opponents but expected to receive less respect from high-fWHR targets (Studies 1 and 2), particularly if they were Black (Study 2). The findings provide initial evidence for how facial structures connoting formidability shape post-conflict reconciliation judgments. Public Significance StatementHumans utilize others' facial features to infer their formidability, particularly men's, which could lead individuals to form relationships with men they deem threatening following conflict. In two studies, we asked men to indicate their perceptions of how reconciliation would likely occur following a fight with men whose facial structures are associated with greater (or less) formidability. Participants expected formidable men to be less ingratiating after a fight compared with those who appeared less formidable.