Face the Fact of Facial Discrimination

When a devout Democrat aims to persuade a devout Republican, they’ll almost surely use different arguments than when wanting to influence someone carrying their same political views. The devout Democrat also might discriminate against the devout Republican. A study by Boise State University political scientists demonstrates the wide range of ways in which this discrimination shows itself and how we often assume another’s political affiliation based on the subtlest of cues—in this case, what their face looks like. The research also indicates, as we’d expect, that the discrimination also occurs the other way around, from Republicans toward Democrats.
     The researchers’ first task was to check whether people are willing to judge a person as being either a Republican or a Democrat based on being shown only an image of their face. Indeed they are, in general, with only a third of the respondent sample choosing “Equally likely Republican and Democrat” across the 80 faces used.
     Then a subsequent study revealed how people with clear political affiliations treat others differently depending on whether the other person is seen as in political agreement, assumed from facial appearance. Respondents rated co-partisans higher on competence and on desirable personal traits like honesty. Given the same résumé, study participants were more likely to say they’d consider hiring a candidate for a middle management position when that candidate was assumed from facial appearance to be a co-partisan. Similar differences were found regarding less consequential decisions, such as a willingness to talk about politics.
     But does the fact that facial appearance is a subtle indicator of party affiliation mean it is no more than inconsequential evidence? The researchers point out how in their studies, the same head shot was sometimes seen by one set of participants as that of a Republican while by others as a Democrat. Moreover, once we engage in conversation with the other person, we’ve plenty of opportunities to suss out their belief system. If we were misled by the face, we could correct the assumption.
     That correction is, of course, if we engage with the person. The range of discriminatory behaviors identified by the Boise State University researchers cautions us that people might never get to the point of meaningful social interaction.
     Recognize in those we aim to persuade, as well as in ourselves, the dangers of discrimination via facial appearance and similar snap judgments.

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