Economic Status Cues from Clothes Affect Perceived Competence from Faces

Abstract

Impressions of competence from faces predict important real-world outcomes, including electoral success and CEO selection. Presumed competence is associated with social status. Here, we show that subtle economic status cues in clothes affect perceived competence from faces. In six studies, people rated the perceived competence of faces presented in the form of mug shots. Faces were shown with subtly different upper-body clothing rated as looking richer or poorer. The same face when seen with “richer” clothes was judged significantly more competent than when it appeared with “poorer” clothes. The effects persist even when perceivers are exposed to the cues very briefly (cca. 100 ms), when they are warned that such cues are non-informative, and when they are instructed to ignore them. These findings demonstrate the uncontrollable and consequential effects of economic status cues on person perception. They add yet another hurdle to the physical, social, and psychological challenges already faced by low-status individuals.