You ever meet someone and after talking to them and getting to know them you think, “yeah, I sort of figured they would have this personality because they look like they would”?
This is known as physiognomy and lacks any real evidence.
It is likely just confirmation bias playing a trick on your brain. You probably don’t think about all the times a face doesn’t match the personality.
I mean you can definitely look at a goth face and assume they are goth, punk face, metal face, tattooed face, etc.
There definitely is evidence as well.
Fears defines a persons character? What they eat defines their character? What they watch defines their character?
Those are interesting metrics….
There isn’t reliability and that’s a terrible defense, since nothing really has reliable outcomes or results regardless. There is obviously differences and outliers on every dataset, but most goths have certain personalities, most punks share personalties, it’s literally what defines them…
They also aren’t stereotypes, that’s only if they are pretending to fit into that culture. You’ll know a punk when you see and meet them, same with goths, there is definitely merit there, despite your previous misconceptions.
Yeah, people choose their haircut and wardrobe and tattoos, and that all comes out of personality.
Not only aesthetic choices, but behaviorally-affected physical traits too: posture, resting facial expression facial creases and muscle tone(e.g. laugh/frown lines), body language and mannerisms, etc. Sure it’s not exactly a science, but certain broad traits are fairly outwardly apparent.
I’ve been told I look like I am on my way to murder someone but I haven’t killed anyone. In fact it’s been 150+ years since my family gave up murdering and we’ve never looked back.
edit: although for a lot of that time, that side of the family were in the army where killing is legal sanctioned as long as you don’t get anyone on your own side.
I think it’s an imaginary concept that reinforces itself. If you get to know someone and realize that they’re a kind person, their physical traits seem to reflect that.
I think people’s looks and personality correspond in a few different ways.
One is that people’s choices for style and personal care reflect their personality, so having fancy clothes indicate a person who cares enough about looks to put in the effort.
People also can choose to associate themselves visually with different groups, and if they identify with that group they likely have similar values, including those around personality.
Even things someone can’t control, such as height, probably affect their personality because it changes the way others interact with them in society.
