Childrens' and adults' reactions to photographs taken before and after facial surgery

Abstract

This study is one of the very few which examines observers' evaluations of photographs of faces taken before and after relatively minor facial reconstructive surgery. Observers of over thirteen years of age judged the ‘after’ operation faces to be significantly more attractive, intelligent and happy than the ‘before’ faces. The judgements of observers aged under twelve years were not affected, thus suggesting that adult negative stereotyping of abnormal faces is due to social-learning. The results of this study lend weight to the argument that those who wish to have their facial abnormalities reduced may be accurately reporting that society is unkind to them. The evidence does not support the view that people wishing to have facial abnormality reduction must, by definition, be neurotic phantasizers.