Medscape... This blog has discussed bias and how it has the potential to affect patient care, learning, or a even a fair work environment. Regardless of whether it is someone else’s bias (patients who don’t like students) or our own (gender assumptions), being aware of such tendencies is important. A recent article about face-based social attributions serves as a good reminder to challenge our own judgements.
Historically, research has shown that facial appearance has been linked to social outcomes, ranging from becoming elected to political office to being convicted of a crime. In fact, studies have found that applicants whose faces looked more competent had a higher likelihood of being hired by large companies for CEO positions, regardless of how they performed against their less-competent looking peers. Similarly, people whose faces were deemed more trustworthy were more likely to obtain loans. The article states that even when we are provided with “more valid cues,” we still rely heavily on facial information. And, perhaps the most unfortunate news, is that face-based inferences aren’t all that reliable.
What does this mean in the medical profession? Do different specialties have different face types? It is more difficult to break into a specialty if you don’t have the look?