Study Reveals How We Judge Trustworthiness in Groups

University of Aberdeen research suggests 'composite face' phenomenon could aid deception in group settings.

Scientists from the University of Aberdeen have found that when people encounter groups, they judge their trustworthiness by combining their facial features into one “composite face”, a process known as “ensemble perception”.
This mental shortcut allows us to make quick judgments by simplifying a complex image, but it can also lead to deception going unnoticed in a group setting.
High eyebrows and a U-shaped mouth are usually perceived as trustworthy, while close-set eyes or lower eyebrows are often perceived as untrustworthy.
The study suggests that this phenomenon could be helping the 'Traitors' in the popular BBC show by allowing them to benefit from the genuine innocence of the 'Faithful', making them appear guiltless by association.
The study also indicates that these split-second judgments could have implications for witness identification line-ups in police investigations and how people judge the trustworthiness of members of a political party.