Scientists Uncover Facial Cues Linked to Perceived Confidence

New research from the University of Glasgow suggests that specific facial movements can significantly influence how confident a person is perceived to be. According to the study, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Science, raising one's eyebrows and blinking slowly are associated with increased perceived confidence.

Conversely, furrowing the brow and narrowing the eyes can give the impression of doubt or a lack of self-assurance. Rachael Jack, the study's corresponding author, explained that these findings extend previous observations by demonstrating that such facial movements actively shape how speech is understood, rather than merely accompanying it.

'Across cultures, brow raising and eye closure were associated with increased perceived confidence, whereas brow lowering and eye tightening were associated with doubt,' Jack stated. 'These findings extend previous observational accounts of facial signals in conversation by demonstrating that such movements do not merely accompany speech but actively shape how it is understood.'

To investigate this, researchers presented 44 participants—comprising both White British native English speakers and Chinese native Mandarin speakers—with videos of computer-generated speakers. These speakers, representing different cultural backgrounds, answered questions with a consistent vocal tone and wording, but with varied facial movements around the eyes and eyebrows. Participants were then asked to rate the perceived confidence of the speakers.

The results indicated a cross-cultural association between brow raising and slow blinking with higher perceived confidence, while brow lowering and eye tightening signaled doubt. Dr. Jonas Nölle, the lead author, commented on the implications: 'When interpreting speech, listeners draw on more than just the words and voice. By experimentally manipulating facial signals while holding verbal content constant, our study shows that even when the words and vocal cues remain the same, changing the speaker's facial movements can alter how confident or doubtful their answers appear.'

These findings emerge as research continues to question the effectiveness of 'power poses,' a concept popularized in 2010 that suggested adopting expansive postures could boost confidence. A 2019 analysis of existing research on power posing by a U.S. researcher indicated that many studies were poorly designed or failed to demonstrate a meaningful effect. Professor Marcus Credé of Iowa State University noted the lack of evidence supporting power poses, particularly in contrast to the commercial industry built around the concept.