The Influence of Family Upbringing on the Facial Inference Process

This study examined personality trait inferences on the basis of facial expressions by showing participants multiple photographs of either one young female face or one young male face, exhibiting three distinct facial expressions. Participants from two parent homes were asked to indicate which parent was more nurturing, and which parent enacted more disciplinary measures. Results demonstrated that responses to these two questions influenced participant trait responses to the angry and sad facial expressions. Results were discussed in terms of overall environmental influence on the inference causal attribution process