Expectations of men’s use of harsh parental discipline through formidability inferences

One modality to estimate men’s formidability and aggressive proclivities is their facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR). Such inferences may further influence perceptions of men as fathers, particularly their preferred disciplinary strategies. Four studies investigated expectations of parental discipl...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Evolutionary behavioral sciences 2024-03
Main Authors: Brown, Mitch, Sacco, Donald F., Donahoe, Steele, Snowden, Samuel E., Masoner, Hannah L., McPherson, Megan N., Eagan, Lindsey E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Child Discipline
Facial Features
Female
Human
Inference
Male
Morphology
Punishment
Social Perception
Stereotyped Attitudes
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:One modality to estimate men’s formidability and aggressive proclivities is their facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR). Such inferences may further influence perceptions of men as fathers, particularly their preferred disciplinary strategies. Four studies investigated expectations of parental disciplinary strategies as a function of fWHR. Participants viewed high-fWHR men as more likely to punish offspring (Study 1), and this expectation was especially rooted in perceptions of their proclivity toward anger (Study 2). These inferences were also specific to physical discipline (Study 3). A downstream perception further emerged of high-fWHR men as being more prone to child abuse (Study 4). Findings indicate how formidability inferences inform modern-day expectations of familial dynamics, highlighting an evolutionary mismatch. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)
ISSN:2330-2925
2330-2933
DOI:10.1037/ebs0000347