The creepy, the bad and the ugly: exploring perceptions of moral character and social desirability in uncanny faces

We used implicit and explicit measures to study whether “real” uncanny faces (by of Botox users very ugly people) will be associated with perceptions bad moral character social avoidance. Implicit showed that were more strongly negative aesthetic evaluations (“ugliness”) than evaluation (“moral disgust”). At the level, participants preferred greater distance from neutral inferred they shared fewer values faces. Contrary our hypotheses, only Ugly (but not faces) perceived as likely commit behaviors indicate character. However, when this analysis was restricted “sick” immoral actions, engage in these kind Although exploratory nature, investigation suggest ugliness (more creepiness) may crucial evaluative dimension underlying rapid inferences