Expectations of Men's Use of Harsh Parental Discipline Through Formidability Inferences

One modality to estimate men's formidability and aggressive proclivities is their facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR). Such inferences may further influence perceptions of men as fathers, particularly their preferred disciplinary strategies. Four studies investigated expectations of parental disciplinary strategies as a function of fWHR. Participants viewed high-fWHR men as more likely to punish offspring (Study 1), and this expectation was especially rooted in perceptions of their proclivity toward anger (Study 2). These inferences were also specific to physical discipline (Study 3). A downstream perception further emerged of high-fWHR men as being more prone to child abuse (Study 4). Findings indicate how formidability inferences inform modern-day expectations of familial dynamics, highlighting an evolutionary mismatch. Public Significance Statement Perceivers use men's facial structures to estimate their behavioral intentions, particularly features diagnostic of their formidability. From these formidability inferences, people could estimate how men engage in parental behaviors, namely how they would likely discipline their children. In four experiments, participants indicated the likelihood that men would punish their children while similarly determining the basis of these inferences and what type of punishment would likely occur for formidable men. Formidable men were stereotyped as being more prone to punishing their children, a perception largely rooted in perceptions of their proclivity toward anger and specific to harsh punishments. These inferences also led perceivers to view formidable men as prone to child abuse. We discuss how modern conventions of parenting are informed by evolutionary motives and how this stereotyping can interfere with fair treatment of men.