What Your Face Says: How Signals of Communion and Agency Inform First Impressions and Behavioural Intentions

Two studies investigated how facial signals of communion and agency intersect to shape first impressions. Study 1 primarily investigated how enhancing or reducing facial signals of communion or agency affected impressions of these dimensions. Results demonstrated that the manipulation of facial signals of communion affected impressions of both communion and agency, whereas the manipulation of facial signals of agency affected only impressions of agency. Secondly, data from Study 1 were used to categorize the Basel Face Database stimuli into the four cells of the stereotype content model (SCM). Study 2 investigated how combined facial signals of communion and agency impact individuals’ evaluations, emotions and behavioural intentions towards targets. Results showed that communion signals in faces have a stronger impact on overall evaluations and behavioural intentions compared to agency signals. Furthermore, in line with the SCM, specific combinations of communion and agency evoked distinct emotions: admiration (high communion–high agency), pity (high communion–low agency) and contempt (low communion–low agency). Together, the research emphasizes the primary role of communion in social perception, highlighting theoretical and practical implications.