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Age differences in facial trustworthiness perception are diminished by affective processing

Author

Listed:
  • Chao Chen

    (Peking University
    Peking University)

  • Ye Xu

    (Peking University
    Peking University)

  • Yi Sun

    (Peking University)

  • Xin Zhang

    (Peking University
    Peking University)

Abstract

While perceptions of facial trustworthiness usually serve as our first references for social interactions, these impressions may ultimately turn out to be inaccurate or unreliable. Compared with younger adults, older adults generally face a higher risk of fraudulent exploitation; the characteristics of older adults’ facial trustworthiness perception may play an important role in revealing the underlying mechanism of their being cheated. Previous studies have demonstrated that, in comparison with their younger counterparts, older adults tend to overestimate strangers’ facial trustworthiness. In the present study, two experiments were conducted, aiming at testing (1) the age-related differences in facial trustworthiness perceptions (Experiment 1) and (2) whether any interventions (e.g., encouraging more deliberative processing or more affective processing) could be applied to help older adults reduce their tendency to overestimate trustworthiness, thus reducing their facial trustworthiness ratings to a lower level (Experiment 2). The results indicated that (1) consistent with previous studies, older adults provided higher trustworthiness ratings for unfamiliar faces than did younger adults (Experiment 1) and (2) more importantly, affective processing instead of deliberative processing could benefit older adults in their assessments of facial trustworthiness, leading them toward demonstrating similar—not significantly higher—levels of trust toward strange faces as younger adults (Experiment 2). A possible mechanism was offered, suggesting that affective processing might help older adults to detect negative cues in unfamiliar faces.

Suggested Citation

  • Chao Chen & Ye Xu & Yi Sun & Xin Zhang, 2022. "Age differences in facial trustworthiness perception are diminished by affective processing," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 413-422, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:eujoag:v:19:y:2022:i:3:d:10.1007_s10433-021-00643-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s10433-021-00643-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mara Mather & Marisa R. Knight, 2006. "Angry Faces Get Noticed Quickly: Threat Detection is not Impaired Among Older Adults," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 61(1), pages 54-57.
    2. Atsunobu Suzuki, 2018. "Persistent Reliance on Facial Appearance Among Older Adults When Judging Someone’s Trustworthiness," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 73(4), pages 573-583.
    3. Ted Ruffman & Susan Sullivan & Nigel Edge, 2006. "Differences in the Way Older and Younger Adults Rate Threat in Faces But Not Situations," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 61(4), pages 187-194.
    4. Phoebe E Bailey & Katherine Petridis & Skye N McLennan & Ted Ruffman & Peter G Rendell, 2019. "Age-Related Preservation of Trust Following Minor Transgressions," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 74(1), pages 74-81.
    5. Jasmine Boshyan & Leslie A. Zebrowitz & Robert G. Franklin, Jr. & Cheryl M. McCormick & Justin M. Carré, 2014. "Age Similarities in Recognizing Threat From Faces and Diagnostic Cues," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 69(5), pages 710-718.
    6. Thomas M. Hess & Sandra J. Waters & Cheryl A. Bolstad, 2000. "Motivational and Cognitive Influences on Affective Priming in Adulthood," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 55(4), pages 193-204.
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