When we encounter an unfamiliar face, we tend to make snap judgments. Does the person look smart, attractive, or young? Are they trustworthy or corrupt? Neuroscientists and psychologists study how our brains form these facial biases, and how the judgments ultimately influence the way people behave.

“We tend to be quite confident in the judgments we make based on people’s faces, but we’re often wrong,” says Ralph Adolphs, Bren Professor of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Biology and an affiliated faculty member of the Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience.

Read more on the TCCI® for Neuroscience site

Photo credit: Caltech