面相學的驗證：從臉型特徵預測性格、價值觀與朋友關係

Abstract

從外觀推斷特質或性格謂之面相學，而面相學的起源最早可以追溯到古代中國。直到今日，因為演化上的重要性以及大眾的興趣，面相學啟發了許多當代社會認知心理學的研究，特別是對臉部的認知，例如娃娃臉與臉型長寬比例（fWHR）的研究。過去研究發現不論是局部抑或是整體的臉部特徵大致上可以預測一些社會判斷，例如被感知的支配性或是競選結果。然而絕大多數之其他臉部特徵以及其是否能夠預測一個人自陳的特質與價值觀仍是未知的。因此，為了銜接自陳式量表與社會感知的差距，本研究採用資料驅動（data-driven）的方式檢驗2,423,868個臉部幾何特徵對性格特質、個人價值觀以及所致的社會互動之預測力。在380位臉書（Facebook）用戶的分析中，發現人臉能展現部分個人與社會特質，特別是果斷性（Assertiveness）、外向性（Extraversion）、情緒性（Emotionality）、成就取向（Achievement）、自我定向（Self-direction）與成為他人好友的可能性，而且整體臉部比例的分析相較於臉型長寬比例（fWHR）更有預測力。我們發現一個低到中等程度的面相效果，也許也能進一步用來強化社會互動。

Physiognomy, the art of inferring character or personality from outward appearance, can be dated back to ancient China. Of evolutionary importance and public interest, physiognomy has inspired many contemporary psychological studies in social cognition, particularly in facial perception, such as research of babyfaceness and facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR). Previous research has found that heuristically predefined facial metrics, be they local or global features of a face, can somewhat predict social judgments, such as perceived dominance and election results. However, little is known about a vast array of other facial features and whether these features are indicative of a person’s own traits and values rather than their perceived counterparts. To bridge the gap, the present study took a data-driven approach that examined the predictive powers of 2,423,868 geometric features of a face for personality traits, personal values, and their resulting social interactions. Our analysis of 380 Facebook users shows that one’s face partially reveals one’s personal and social characteristics, particularly assertiveness, levels of extraversion and emotionality, eagerness for achievement, self-direction, and possibility of being a close friend of others, and the exhaustive facial ratios are more informative than the fWHR only. Our findings suggest a weak-to-moderate validity of physiognomy in that personal information, to some extent, are indeed manifested in a face, which may be utilized to facilitate social interaction.