When people say “you can’t judge a book by its cover,” science has a slightly more complicated answer. In reality, humans make rapid-fire assessments of others based on facial appearance—and trustworthiness is one of the first judgments that forms in the blink of an eye.
But what is it about a person’s face that makes someone seem trustworthy before they even speak? Whether it’s in a courtroom, a job interview, or a simple social interaction, facial features heavily influence perceptions and decision-making.
