Allen Graboallen.grabo@vu.nl

I. PhD Student

VU University, Amsterdam

Prof. Mark van Vugt

II. My focus

Evolution of leadership

Face perception

Charismatic leadership

Prosociality

Religiosity

I. Independent Variables

I. Economic Context: Crisis or Prosperity?

ProsperityCrisis

I. Independent Variables

I. Economic Context: Crisis or Prosperity?

II. Facial Appearance: Masculine or Feminine?

Masculine Feminine

Feminine Masculine

Feminine Masculine

Feminine Masculine

I. Informed Consent

II. Independent Variables

I. Economic Context: Crisis or Prosperity?

II. Facial Appearance: Masculine or Feminine?

III. Dependent Variables

I. Leader Preference: Who do you prefer?

II. Leader Attributions: Which face looks more ___?

I. Leadership Preferences:

Who do you prefer?

I. Attributions:

Which face looks more _____?

Attractive

Competent

Dominant

Charismatic

Healthy

Leader-like

I. Political Orientation

II. Gender

III. Age

I. Evolutionary Leadership Theory How have leadership and followership evolved?

II. Adaptive Domains When do we need leaders?

III. Facial Appearance What can we learn from their faces?

IV. Congruency / Heuristics Are our preferences still being shaped by these heuristics?

Leader Attribute Facial CuesAdaptive

Domains

Follower

HeuristicExamples

Dominance

Masculinity

Conflict, WarFollow dominant

individual

Military,

CEO major

companyHeight to Width Ratio

Trustworthiness

FemininityCooperation,

Peace

Follow prosocial

individual

Politician,

NGO,

Hospital directorEthnicity

Competence

AgeKnowledge

(Social, Physical)

Follow informed

individual

Scientist,

Statesman,

EntrepreneurBabyfacedness

Attractiveness, Health

Symmetry / FAPhysical

Challenge

Follow healthy

individual

Sports Captain,

ExplorerSkin Coloration

Table 1. Facial Appearance and Leadership: An Evolutionary Framework

Facial cues may serve as inputs into an adaptive followership psychology

Domain-specific follower mechanisms

Example: “If threatened, follow a strong

individual” or

“If don’t know, follow an experienced individual”

I. A set of psychological adaptations which allow organisms to successfully negotiate the various challenges and opportunities of group life

II. Has allowed our increasingly larger groups to coordinateand take collective action (for good or bad)

III. Occurs spontaneously in nearly every context

IV. Strongly influenced by both contextual factors and biological cues

To gain access to greater resources

To allow us to migrate to new environments

To maintain social stability within our groups

To regulate intergroup relations

1

• Is this person a potential leader?

• Global traits

2

• In what domain?

• Coordination Problems

3

• Who is the prototypical leader?

• Specific domain-relevant traits

I. Masculinity / Femininity Masculinized faces preferred for intergroup conflict

Feminized for intragroup peacekeeping

II. Age Younger faces preferred for promoting change

Older faces preferred for maintaining stability

III. Height Taller individuals seen as more dominant, healthy, intelligent