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The Wisdom of Psychopaths
In this engrossing journey into the lives of psychopaths and their infamously crafty behaviors, the renowned psychologist Kevin Dutton reveals that there is a...
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[The following is an exact transcript of this podcast.]
We like to think we’re pretty sophisticated when it comes to voting for politicians. Oh, sure, we’ve all heard that the taller guy usually wins. But we’re being smart—we consider their policies and positions.
Or maybe not. Researchers at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland say our decisions are often based on appearance—and that we’re no different from children. The finding appears in the February 27 issue of the journal Science.
Scientists took photos of the winner and the runner up from a 2002 election in France. They showed the two photos to people in Switzerland who hadn’t heard of either candidate. They asked—who do you think would be the most competent?
Well, most study participants chose the actual winner. Then it was time for the kids. More than 600 children played a game involving a computer-simulated boat trip. They were asked which person they’d prefer to captain the ship. And most of the kids also chose the actual election winner.
Study authors say they don’t know which specific facial cues kids and grown-ups are using to make their decisions. Voting is one of democracies most important civic duties. But for a lot of voters, it looks like it’s about liking looks.
—Cynthia Graber
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6 Comments
Add CommentIt's interesting to think about where this ingrained predisposition is leading us. This mechanism is likely at work in all facets of social interaction, and probably has been for millions of years. If we're so much more attractive on average than our ancestors because of this, where will we land in the future? Is there some kind of ultimate facial standard we're trying to work towards, or does the standard itself change constantly as well? I'm trying to envision a beautiful alien and having some trouble.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMaybe only when the other condtions are almost equal, can this factor weigh much.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe text of this Podcast looks like 60-Second Psych!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThis research serve for interminable reflections about who are the more rogue candidate. If the ugly or the good looking. I think that for the well of democracy the mass of electors needs to learn to discern what is happening behind the screen of politics. The press - yes the press - have an important role in the process of show the difference between appearance and essence in one Democratic context.
And about actual Science and Technology in the 60-Second Science?
"Maybe only when the other condtions are almost equal, can this factor weigh much."
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAlmost equal - like the voters being mostly ignorant of the relevant facts.
SHALL WE USE THE SIXTH SENSE
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisFirst you are to look around and throw away a mask and to look into the proper people's faces. As you know, when I came to Kiev, I self-employed myself selling the newspapers at the Kiev Railway Station. It was hardly sufficient to earn for life. But I did not pick coins for live from the ground like the wanderers did happy and didn't steal as the Deputies are stealling Russian Gas rich. I was speaking to people, interested to see their sincere faces.
Why sincere faces and why at the railway station (it was by 2006)?
People seeing off their friends, relatives, at the New Kiev railway station the largest in Europe at that time, they have very frank expressions on their faces very often with teas in their eyes, bringing me to the strongest deep feelings and emotions immune from ideology from the politics, from the consequences of genocide and Famine of 1932-1933 in Ukraine.
You may imagine those people, make face pack and wipe out the mask of indifference from your face at the same time.
Do I suppose using the sixth sense? What about relaxing when making a pack?
You will sooner relax using the sixth sense and imagining faces with good tears rather than watching TV with deputies relaxing at parliament, missing the sessions not working for weeks.
But please also note, that our deputies are not relaxing, but doing harm to the country.
I am concerned that the Ukrainian nation is too small with presented great number of the populist deputies at the Supreme Soviet continuously stigmatizing Ukraine. Ukrainian nation is too small to be immune from cabal and continuous intrigue.
http://ukraine32famine.blogspot.com/
Looks have always been important in elections, certainly in the U.S. I can't recall many bald, fat, short, bad-hair, bad-skin candidates getting elected to office. If you line up the U.S. Congress, there are a lot of look-alikes and standard-brand Central-casting types. I, for one, think Obama got the edge because he was much better-looking than McCain and that smile, oh that smile, what a wonder! Good looks have been a criterion for public office since time began. Also for success in business. Look at the world's CEOs. See any similar characteristics. You betcha!
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