Awards

• Commended for 2018 PROSE Award in Psychology, Association of American Publishers 2018

Overview

The scientific story of first impressions--and why the snap character judgments we make from faces are irresistible but usually incorrect We make up our minds about others after seeing their faces for a fraction of a second--and these snap judgments predict all kinds of important decisions. For example, politicians who simply look more competent are more likely to win elections. Yet the character judgments we make from faces are as inaccurate as they are irresistible; in most situations, we would guess more accurately if we ignored faces. So why do we put so much stock in these widely shared impressions? What is their purpose if they are completely unreliable? In this book, Alexander Todorov, one of the world's leading researchers on the subject, answers these questions as he tells the story of the modern science of first impressions. Drawing on psychology, cognitive science, neuroscience, computer science, and other fields, this accessible and richly illustrated book describes cutting-edge research and puts it in the context of the history of efforts to read personality from faces.Todorov describes how we have evolved the ability to read basic social signals and momentary emotional states from faces, using a network of brain regions dedicated to the processing of faces. Yet contrary to the nineteenth-century pseudoscience of physiognomy and even some of today's psychologists, faces don't provide us a map to the personalities of others. Rather, the impressions we draw from faces reveal a map of our own biases and stereotypes. A fascinating scientific account of first impressions, Face Value explains why we pay so much attention to faces, why they lead us astray, and what our judgments actually tell us.

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9780691167497

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Reviews

Since the early 2000s, Princeton University psychology professor Alexander Todorov has been studying . . . the first impression. In his new book, Face Value, Todorov pulls together all he's learned about first impressions. At first glance--and upon a careful reading--it makes for a fascinating and thorough examination of the subject. --Theodore Kinni, Strategy + Business Compelling narrative voice and clear prose. --Hope Reese, Undark It's not the kind of book you'd expect to want to read more--just as in an adventure novel--but that's exactly what Face Value does: it gives you a lot of information in a way that always leaves you wanting for more. . . . A delightful book. --Mihai Andrei, ZME Science Fascinating reading. --Diana Gitig, Ars Technica Face Value sets out a persuasive and fascinating argument. --Oliver Moody, The Times First impressions and snap judgements are not trivial: they can overturn elections and make or break careers. Drawing on cognitive and computer science, this weighty, well-illustrated study by psychologist Alexander Todorov journeys under the skin to reveal how 'face-reading'--as in the old pseudoscience of physiognomy--has given way to a scientific understanding of perceptual bias vis-a-vis the visage. Todorov unpeels the responses of newborns to 'faceness', the hunt for face-selective neurons, the chameleonic self-portraiture of artist Cindy Sherman and more. --Barbara Kiser, Nature An impressive, well-written, and well-illustrated book. . . . Stimulating and enjoyable. --John Antonakis, Science Face Value raises a compelling and unresolved issue: First impressions are reasonably consistent, meaning that people largely agree on which faces they judge trustworthy or threatening or dominant. Yet these judgements may be far from accurate, leading to great social injustice in myriad daily interactions. . . . Todorov's book excels in explaining how he and other researchers have figured out many of the subtle cues that the mind uses in constructing [these impressions]. --Nicholas Wade, Wall Street Journal Hugely entertaining. --Kate Douglas, New Scientist A mesmerising book. --Carol Midgley, The Times

An impressive, well-written, and well-illustrated book. . . . Stimulating and enjoyable. --Valerie Thompson, Science Face Value raises a compelling and unresolved issue: First impressions are reasonably consistent, meaning that people largely agree on which faces they judge trustworthy or threatening or dominant. Yet these judgements may be far from accurate, leading to great social injustice in myriad daily interactions. . . . Todorov's book excels in explaining how he and other researchers have figured out many of the subtle cues that the mind uses in constructing [these impressions]. --Nicholas Wade, Wall Street Journal

Since the early 2000s, Princeton University psychology professor Alexander Todorov has been studying . . . the first impression. In his new book, Face Value, Todorov pulls together all he's learned about first impressions. At first glance--and upon a careful reading--it makes for a fascinating and thorough examination of the subject. --Theodore Kinni, Strategy + Business Hugely entertaining. --Kate Douglas, New Scientist An impressive, well-written, and well-illustrated book. . . . Stimulating and enjoyable. --Valerie Thompson, Science Face Value raises a compelling and unresolved issue: First impressions are reasonably consistent, meaning that people largely agree on which faces they judge trustworthy or threatening or dominant. Yet these judgements may be far from accurate, leading to great social injustice in myriad daily interactions. . . . Todorov's book excels in explaining how he and other researchers have figured out many of the subtle cues that the mind uses in constructing [these impressions]. --Nicholas Wade, Wall Street Journal

Author Information

Alexander Todorov is professor of psychology at Princeton University, where he is also affiliated with the Princeton Neuroscience Institute and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. His research on first impressions has been covered by media around the world, including the New York Times, the Guardian, the New Yorker, the Daily Telegraph, Scientific American, PBS, and NPR. He lives in Princeton.

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