What Does Your Face Say About You? | Directory for Therapists

It’s a fairly common agreement for most people to say that first impressions are important. So, we tend to put our best foot forward upon meeting someone. We also know that a visible smile or frown can let someone know how we’re feeling at any given time. But, have you ever thought about what other cues your face might be giving people? Perhaps in a more subtle fashion?

In recent studies, it has been discovered that faces are more than just windows to the emotions we choose to show. They can actually let the world in on the characteristics that make us who we are, as individuals. Let’s take a look at three different things our faces can tell people.

1. Aggressive Nature

Men in particular can be viewed as aggressive, thanks to a certain face type/shape. It all depends on how narrow or wide their face is. Research has found that men with wider-looking faces tend to be instantly viewed as more aggressive than those with more narrow faces. Wider faces are also associated with levels of high testosterone, and the idea of dominance.

This study, performed by the National Institutes of Health, goes so far as to say a man’s face shape is a reliable predictor of how aggressive they might be. While the samples used in their research were relatively small, they were consistent enough to make a strong conclusion on the matter.

2. Sexual Orientation

It may seem impossible to determine someone’s sexual orientation just by looking at their face. It’s important to differentiate this from something judgmental. However, multiple studies have been performed to determine that certain characteristics and facial features can be linked to sexual orientation.

These studies compared a wide range of people with different sexual orientations. The findings showed subtle, but significant differences between gay men and women, and their straight counterparts. For example, gay men tend to have shorter noses than straight men. Gay women had slightly more masculine face shapes than straight women.

While these studies remain small, they may help in giving us a better understanding of how sexual orientation is linked to our overall anatomies.

3. Overall Personality

This category might seem easier to accept – after all, we express a lot through our faces. But, actually showcasing your personality through a resting, emotionless face is possible. Your facial features may be giving it away without you having to crack a smile or turn down a frown.

So, what are your facial features saying about your personality? In one study that focused on five models of personality, they found that certain factors seemed to be highly determined by different facial features. For example, men who had eyebrows that appeared to be ‘higher up’ on the forehead, were viewed as more agreeable. For women, extraversion is directly correlated with facial features. This same study found that women who had protruding lips and a protruding nose also had higher levels of extraversion.

Many of the studies done to determine these ‘facial factors’ need to be on a larger scale. Obviously, more research needs to be done about other characteristics that might be associated with our overall facial structure, as well. However, it’s interesting to think that facial structure alone may have an impact on how the world sees us, or underlying personality traits.