What can a moving face tell us?

This research assessed the impact of facial motion on perceptions of age-related person qualities. Ss judged the power of point-light displays of the faces of children, middle-aged adults, and elderly adults. Ratings were obtained of (a) dynamic displays filmed while the stimulus persons were reciting the alphabet, (b) dynamic displays filmed, while the stimulus persons engaged in an interaction, and (c) static versions of the displays. Facial age exerted no effect on the perceived power of nondynamic displays. However, moving displays of children's faces were judged to be less powerful than were those of adults. Differences in perceived age could not explain these effects. The implications of these data for the developing area of social event perception are discussed.