Explanipedia

Exploring Film as Popular Art Promoting Scarred Villain Trope Open

Connor S. Wagner, Mariola Paruzel‐Czachura, Clifford I. Workman, Satvika L. Kumar, Lauren K. Salinero , et al. · 2025

Cinema is a powerful art form that shapes social norms. One enduring trope is the “scarred villain,” where facial differences signify moral corruption. Recent advocacy has challenged this stereotype, suggesting a shift in how anomalies are…

Exploring Film as Popular Art Promoting Scarred Villain Trope Open

Connor S. Wagner, Clifford I. Workman, Mariola Paruzel‐Czachura, Satvika L. Kumar, Lauren K. Salinero , et al. · 2025

As an influential art form, cinema holds the power to shape social norms. One of the most enduring cinematic conventions is the “scarred villain” trope, wherein facial differences as scars convey moral corruption. Recent advocacy efforts c…

Exploring Film as Popular Art Promoting Scarred Villain Trope Open

Connor S. Wagner, Clifford I. Workman, Mariola Paruzel‐Czachura, Satvika L. Kumar, Lauren K. Salinero , et al. · 2025

As an influential art form, cinema holds the power to shape social norms. One of the most enduring cinematic conventions is the “scarred villain” trope, wherein facial differences as scars convey moral corruption. Recent advocacy efforts c…

Reader in face-reading: viewer’s empathy and sensitivity to disgust impacts the first impressions of anomalous faces Open

Mariola Paruzel‐Czachura, Clifford I. Workman, Jesse A. Taylor, Anjan Chatterjee · 2025

People “read” others’ inner traits based on their faces. They attribute positive traits to those who are more attractive (beauty-is-good) and negative to those with facial anomalies (anomalous-is-bad). But how do the “reader’s” traits impa…

First impressions: Do faces with scars and palsies influence warmth, competence and humanization? Open

Mariola Paruzel‐Czachura, Clifford I. Workman, Noha El Toukhy, Anjan Chatterjee · 2024

A glance is enough to assign psychological attributes to others. Attractiveness is associated with positive attributes (‘beauty‐is‐good’ stereotype). Here, we raise the question of a similar but negative bias. Are people with facial anomal…

Art therapy masks reflect emotional changes in military personnel with PTSS Open

Vicente Estrada Gonzalez, Vasiliki Meletaki, Melissa S. Walker, Janell Payano Sosa, Adrienne Stamper , et al. · 2024

Art Therapy Unmasked: Evaluating Emotional Shifts in Art Therapy Masks Open

Vicente Estrada Gonzalez, Vasiliki Meletaki, Melissa S. Walker, Janell Payano Sosa, Adrienne Stamper , et al. · 2023

Among the disabling post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptoms are irritability, aggressive behavior, distressing memories and general impaired cognition and negative mood. Art therapy interventions, including mask-making, can potentially allevi…

Cinematic Representations of Visible Facial Differences Across Time and Cultures Open

Connor S. Wagner, Clifford I. Workman, Mariola Paruzel‐Czachura, Satvika L. Kumar, Lauren K. Salinero , et al. · 2023

The “scarred villain” trope, where facial differences like scars signify moral corruption, is ubiquitous in film (e.g., Batman’s The Joker). Strides by advocacy groups to undermine the trope, however, suggest cinematic representations of f…

Visual Attention, Bias, and Social Dispositions Toward People with Facial Anomalies: A Prospective Study with Eye-Tracking Technology. Open

Dillan F. Villavisanis, Clifford I. Workman, Zachary Zapatero, Giap H. Vu, Stacey Humphries , et al. · 2023

Background: Facial attractiveness influences our perceptions of others, with beautiful faces reaping societal rewards and anomalous faces encountering penalties. The purpose of this study was to determine associations of visual attention w…

Visual Attention, Bias, and Social Dispositions Toward People With Facial Anomalies Open

Dillan F. Villavisanis, Clifford I. Workman, Zachary D. Zapatero, Giap H. Vu, Stacey Humphries , et al. · 2023

Background Facial attractiveness influences our perceptions of others, with beautiful faces reaping societal rewards and anomalous faces encountering penalties. The purpose of this study was to determine associations of visual attention wi…

First Impressions: Do Faces with Scars and Palsies Influence Warmth, Competence, and Humanization? Open

Mariola Paruzel‐Czachura, Clifford I. Workman, Noha El Toukhy, Anjan Chatterjee · 2023

A glance is enough to assign psychological attributes to others. Attractiveness is associated with positive attributes (“beauty-is-good” stereotype). Here, we raise the question of a similar but negative bias. Are people with facial anomal…

Associations of Facial Proportionality, Attractiveness, and Character Traits Open

Dillan F. Villavisanis, Clifford I. Workman, Daniel Cho, Zachary Zapatero, Connor S. Wagner , et al. · 2022

Background: Facial proportionality and symmetry are positively associated with perceived levels of facial attractiveness.Objective: The aims of this study were to confirm and extend the association of proportionality with perceived levels …

Facial Scars: Do Position and Orientation Matter? Open

Zachary Zapatero, Clifford I. Workman, Christopher L. Kalmar, Stacey Humphries, Mychajlo S. Kosyk , et al. · 2022

Background: This study tested the core tenets of how facial scars are perceived by characterizing layperson response to faces with scars. The authors predicted that scars closer to highly viewed structures of the face (i.e., upper lip and …

Layperson Bias and Empathy Influence Visual Attention Toward Patients with Hemifacial Microsomia: A Prospective Eye-tracking Study Open

Dillan F. Villavisanis, Clifford I. Workman, Zachary D. Zapatero, Giap H. Vu, Stacey Humphries , et al. · 2022

INTRODUCTION: Facial attractiveness influences our perceptions of others, with beautiful faces reaping societal rewards and anomalous faces encountering penalties. Previous work with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has demonst…

Do attitudes about and behaviors towards people who enhance their cognition depend on their looks? Open

Charlie Siegel, Clifford I. Workman, Stacey Humphries, Anjan Chatterjee · 2022

Public attitudes towards cognitive enhancement––e.g., using stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin to improve mental functioning––are mixed. Attitudes vary by context and prompt ethical concerns about fairness, obligation, and authenticity/c…

Evidence against the “anomalous-is-bad” stereotype in Hadza hunter gatherers Open

Clifford I. Workman, Kristopher M. Smith, Coren L. Apicella, Anjan Chatterjee · 2022

Normalizing Anomalies with Mobile Exposure (NAME): Reducing implicit biases against people with facial anomalies Open

Nadir Bilici, Clifford I. Workman, Stacey Humphries, Mariola Paruzel‐Czachura, Roy H. Hamilton , et al. · 2022

This pre-registered study (https://osf.io/b9g6v) tested the hypothesis that implicit biases towards people with visible facial differences, like scars and palsies, can be reduced through routine exposure to faces bearing such anomalous fea…

Changing the Narrative: Stories Reduce Biases Against Anomalous Faces Open

Nadir Bilici, Clifford I. Workman, Stacey Humphries, Mariola Paruzel‐Czachura, Roy Hamilton , et al. · 2022

Facial anomalies, such as scars, trigger an “anomalous-is-bad” stereotype, which regards people with visible differences as morally suspect. We developed a “Normalizing Anomalies with Mobile Exposure” intervention to dismantle these biases…

P62. VISUAL PERCEPTIONS OF HEMIFACIAL MICROSOMIA RECONSTRUCTION: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY WITH EYE TRACKING TECHNOLOGY AND LINEAR MIXED EFFECTS MODEL ANALYSIS Open

Dillan F. Villavisanis, Clifford I. Workman, Zachary D. Zapatero, Giap H. Vu, Jessica D. Blum , et al. · 2022

PURPOSE: Facial areas attracting visual attention in lateralizing craniofacial pathologies such as hemifacial microsomia (HFM) are poorly understood but are ideal for studying gaze patterns. This study aims to determine lay person visual a…

P10. IT’S ALL RELATIVE: ASSOCIATIONS OF FACIAL PROPORTIONALITY, ATTRACTIVENESS, AND CHARACTER TRAITS IN 597 INDIVIDUALS Open

Dillan F. Villavisanis, Clifford I. Workman, Daniel Cho, Zachary D. Zapatero, Connor S. Wagner , et al. · 2022

PURPOSE: Facial proportionality has known associations with perceptions of sociability, intelligence, and health; however, many previous studies used small sample sizes or artificial facial renderings. Using a large dataset, this study aim…

What is good is beautiful (and what isn’t, isn’t): How moral character affects perceived facial attractiveness. Open

Dexian He, Clifford I. Workman, Xianyou He, Anjan Chatterjee · 2022

Which moral exemplars inspire prosociality? Open

Hyemin Han, Clifford I. Workman, Joshua May, Payton Scholtens, Kelsie J. Dawson , et al. · 2022

Some stories of moral exemplars motivate us to emulate their admirable attitudes and behaviors, but why do some exemplars motivate us more than others? We systematically studied how motivation to emulate is influenced by the similarity bet…

Which moral exemplars inspire prosociality? Open

Hyemin Han, Clifford I. Workman, Joshua May, Payton Scholtens, Kelsie J. Dawson , et al. · 2022

Some stories of moral exemplars motivate us to emulate their admirable attitudes and behaviors, but why do some exemplars motivate us more than others? We systematically studied how motivation to emulate is influenced by the similarity bet…

Regional amyloid correlates of cognitive performance in ageing and mild cognitive impairment Open

Daniel A. Stevens, Clifford I. Workman, Hiroto Kuwabara, Meryl A. Butters, Alena Savonenko , et al. · 2022

Beta-amyloid deposition is one of the earliest pathological markers associated with Alzheimer's disease. Mild cognitive impairment in the setting of beta-amyloid deposition is considered to represent a preclinical manifestation of Alzheime…

Evidence against the “anomalous-is-bad” stereotype in Hadza hunter gatherers Open

Clifford I. Workman, Kristopher M. Smith, Coren L. Apicella, Anjan Chatterjee · 2021

People have an “anomalous-is-bad” stereotype whereby they make negative inferences about the moral character of people with craniofacial anomalies like scars. This stereotype is hypothesized to be a byproduct of adaptations for avoiding pa…

Evidence against the "anomalous-is-bad" stereotype in Hadza hunter gatherers Open

Clifford I. Workman, Kristopher M. Smith, Coren L. Apicella, Anjan Chatterjee · 2021

People have an “anomalous-is-bad” stereotype whereby they make negative inferences about the moral character of people with craniofacial anomalies like scars. This stereotype is hypothesized to be a byproduct of adaptations for avoiding pa…

CRediT where Credit is Due: A Comment on Leising et al. (2021) Open

Emorie D Beck, Clifford I. Workman, Alexander P. Christensen · 2021

Leising and colleagues propose a 10-step checklist that they argue will facilitate “a better personality science.” Although we agree with many of the proposed steps, whether the checklist separates “good research” from bad is an empirical …

What is good is beautiful (and what isn’t, isn’t): How moral character affects perceived facial attractiveness Open

Dexian He, Clifford I. Workman, Xianyou He, Anjan Chatterjee · 2021

A well-documented “beauty-is-good” stereotype is expressed in the expectation that physically attractive people have more positive characteristics. Recent evidence also finds that unattractive faces are associated with negative character i…

Positron emission tomography imaging of serotonin degeneration and beta-amyloid deposition in late-life depression evaluated with multi-modal partial least squares Open

Gwenn S. Smith, Clifford I. Workman, Hillary Protas, Yi Su, Alena Savonenko , et al. · 2021

The effect of aging on facial attractiveness: An empirical and computational investigation Open

Dexian He, Clifford I. Workman, Yoed N. Kenett, Xianyou He, Anjan Chatterjee · 2021

How does aging affect facial attractiveness? We tested the hypothesis that people find older faces less attractive than younger faces, and furthermore, that these aging effects are modulated by the age and sex of the perceiver and by the s…

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