The Attitude towards a Stranger and Assessment of his Age based on a Photo Image of a Face Transformed in the FaceApp Application

Abstract

The hypothesis of the study was the assumption that significant differences can be found in the attitude of the subject of perception to the object of perception (“model”) depending on the conditional age stage associated with age-related changes in appearance. Methods: 1) The procedure of “Photovideopresentation of appearance” by T.A. Vorontsova (a set of 36 photos transformed in the FaceApp application); 2) “Methodology for the study of conscious personal relationships to each member of the group and to oneself” by T.A. Vorontsova. Selection: 178 women and 156 men from 21 to 60 years old (M=37.24; SD=10.46). Results: 1) the attitude of subjects of perception to objects of perception significantly changes depending on the conditional age stage associated with changes in appearance: antipathy increases (in 64% of observations); antipathy decreases (in 36% of observations); disrespect increases (in 25% of observations); disrespect decreases (in 75% of observations); distance increases / decreases (50%); 2) gender differences in the dynamics of attitudes towards objects of perception were found: an increase in respect for men, in contrast to the multidirectional dynamics of respect for women. The recorded dynamics of relations reveals benevolent (an increase in respect) and hostile ageism (an increase in antipathy) towards older people who have obvious age-related changes in appearance. Also, the data obtained on the Russian sample confirm the existence of the age stereotype “a woman is getting old, a man is getting mature”. The data are discussed in connection with age stigma, the influence of additional factors, and the possibilities of using FaceApp in scientific research.