Objectives: Based on the reported relationship between facial morphology and behavior, the objectives were to determine the anthropometrics associated with personality attributes and whether attributes associated with frontal facial views differed from profile views of the same faces.

Methods: From a database, 60 Caucasian males were selected for facial shape variation and neutral expression. To control for left-right facial variations and influence of hair style, mirror and hair-capped images of the unaltered face were also presented. Demographic data was obtained for 120 volunteer judges (mean age 20.4 ± 2.62, 2/3 of whom were female). Each judge responded to one set of 30 of the 60 equivalent frontal facial images and the corresponding profile using a semantic differential for the following traits: 'Calm-excitable,' 'adaptable-inflexible,' 'outgoing-withdrawn,' 'successful-unsuccessful,' 'influential-uninfluential,' 'honest-dishonest,' 'feminine-not feminine,' 'intelligent-unintelligent,' 'domineering-submissive,' 'competitive-not competitive,' 'athletic-not athletic,' 'proud-humble,' 'sociable-unsociable,' 'masculine-not masculine,' 'likable-not likable,' 'bold-timid,' 'attractive-unattractive,' 'distinctive-not distinctive.'

Results: Proportional and angular measurements were used to classify the faces as brachyfacial, mesofacial, or dolifacial for comparison of the mean attribute scores across judges for the three facial groups. Using ANOVA and correlational analysis, patterns of personality attributes were found to differentiate significantly among the brachyfacial, mesofacial, and dolifacial faces as well as between profile and full faces. Consistent with previous research, the brachyfacials were found to be significantly less 'adaptable,' 'likeable,' and 'honest' (p<.05) and more 'proud' and 'dominant' (p<.01) than the mesofacial and dolifacial faces. Compared with full faces, the profiles were perceived as significantly less 'outgoing,' 'successful,' 'influential,' 'competitive,' 'athletic,' 'sociable,' 'likable,' 'bold,' 'attractive,' and 'distinctive' (p<.05 to p<.004).

Conclusions: In addition to documenting the importance of the face in interpersonal relationships, these results suggest that perceived personality attributes based on profiles alone may be misleading to clinicians.

Partially supported by American Association of Orthodontists Foundation and Brigham and Women's Hospital.

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