Appearance-Based Impressions Predict Real Outcomes

In a study published in Science, Alexander Todorov and his colleagues found that judgements of political candidates’ competence based solely on facial appearance predicted the outcome of the U.S. congressional elections better than chance. After looking at candidates’ faces for only a second, the candidate deemed by participants as more “competent looking” tended to be the eventual winner of the real election, and often this gap in the appearance of competence tended to mirror the candidate’s real margin of victory.

In other words: Before voters take the time to learn what a candidate stands for, their perception of who looks capable of leading may already be influenced by appearance.