Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3335: The Presidential Race, Electability, Facial Hair and Ben Carson (PHOTOS)

The fact that Ben Carson has facial hair places him at a steep disadvantage for winning the Republican nomination or the White House. Although some may call it purely statistical - the correlation of the presence of facial hair to a lower electability is not to be ignored.

Moreover, the higher the political office, the less likely it is that a man will win the seat if he has facial hair. The incidence of facial hair World-wide is 50%. In the United States, Europe, Canada and Pacific Rim Countries it's 33% (with some regional variability).

Incredibly, the last U.S. President to be elected with any facial hair was William Taft in 1908 - 107 years ago.

Of the male U.S. Senators, house members and governors, typically only between 1 and 11% of them will have facial hair. Within this population - the Senators have the least - and the House Members are closure to 11% with the male governors intermediate. This is even true with city council and school board elections - although the phenomenon is not as strong when the political office is lower on the food chain.

There's something hard-wired into the human brain (a fact every neurosurgeon should know) when it comes to facial hair, likability and trust. Human children (who are preverbal) will strongly prefer men without facial hair. This is true even when viewing both images of their own fathers (despite having become accustomed to them with facial hair).

Although there is, of course, a waxing and waning of facial hair styles/trends throughout the decades - as well as some occupational exceptions to this rule (e.g. college professors, baseball pitchers and many other athletes' roles [but not all, e.g. - golf]) - this correlation of low trust with facial hair is dramatic and should not be ignored. Arrest photos of men have a significantly higher incidence of facial hair - and in the courtroom there is notably higher rate of guilty verdicts.

Dr. Carson - if you want to win, shave. Shave now.


See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3334: Kevin McCarthy, Judy McCarthy and the Representative's Decision to Withdraw from Pursuing the Position as Speaker of the House

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3332: Ben Carson's New Book Cover is a Rapport Destroyer

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3283: Trivago Guy - It's Not His Wardrobe or Haircut - It's the Body Language Stupid!

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3275: Carly Fiorina, The Republican Debate and Likability (or not)

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3207: Vladimir Putin, Pope Francis and Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3241: Trump - a Hyper-Alpha Donald vs. a Kinder, Gentler Version - Body Language and Likability 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3264: Hillary Clinton, Likability, Perceived Trustworthiness and Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2930: Rand Paul and "Likability" - Building vs. Destroying It 

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2200: President Obama growing a Mustache? - Body Language and Facial Hair

In President Obama's Thanksgiving message yesterday, he sports one or two days of mustache growth. The last U.S. President to have any facial hair was one hundred four years ago - William Taft in 1908.

Worldwide, 50% of men have some form of facial hair. In the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia and the Pacific Rim it's 33%. Currently only 1.2% of the male U.S. Senators, 6.8% of Governors and 10.8% of the U.S. House members have any facial hair - all substantially below the national average. Repeated studies show that those with facial hair are universally trusted less than clean shaven men. 

Amazingly this emotion even holds true in the minds of those males who themselves have a beard, mustache, goatee, soul patch, etc. 

Incredibly, preverbal children rapidly prefer images of their fathers with no facial hair, even if all but the in last few hours their dads had hair there.

Mug shots of freshly arrested men have a much higher incidence of facial hair. And in the courtroom guilty verdicts are also statistically more likely. 

An interesting aspect to this facial hair & society is seen in the world of sports. It appears that facial hair affords an increased success rate in some positions - such as baseball pitchers and goal keepers.

As far as politics and particularly true leadership are concerned, it is an extremely unwise idea for any President to grow facial hair. This is true in elections - and also office holders. One simply cannot ignore the strong tendency toward mistrust. It is an aspect of body language that is engrained in our brains. And Biology always trumps fashion. It is simply a nonverbal truth that having any facial hair statistically works against developing and maintaining rapport, negotiation and trust.

Barack's beginnings of a mustache will be short lived. Shave Mr. President.

Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1697: Facial Hair, Politics and Athletes Phil Humber Pitches a Perfect Game 

Negotiation Secret # 337: Facial Hair, Trust and Politics

Leadership Secret # 39: Facial Hair and Perception  

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2190: President Obama's Body Language - Press Conference 14 October 2012 - Defense of Ambassador Susan Rice

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2199: Thailand, Body Language, Barack Obama and Yingluck Shinawatra -  Mirroring and Foot Point

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2179: Mitt Romney & Barack Obama - Sincere Hugs and True Affection 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2129: Barack Obama's Body Language, Misspeaks "Export More Jobs" Displays Incredulity and ....

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Leadership Secret # 39: Facial Hair and Perception

It's been 102 years since a U.S. President has been elected with facial hair - William Taft, 1908. Although I haven't got a chance to review the newly elected crop of Senators, currently there are none with facial hair and less than 10 percent of the U.S. House members are included in this group.  About 33 percent of American men and 50 percent of men World-wide sport a beard, goatee or mustache.  In the last 100 years with the crescendo of photography, video and media in general, the presence of any facial hair in the American male Population has waned.

Many studies have concluded that facial hair invokes feelings of distrust in others. Incredibly intriguing and in what should make any doubters take heed - this negative emotion-invoking property of facial hair has been shown to be very strong in PREVERBAL children. Thus, these negative feelings are "unlearned" to a degree as we age, but remain partially or entirely buried in our psyche - something to consider if you're in, or seeking, a position of leadership.

We all like to think we are the exception to the statistical rule. However, we are not really thinking - as much as we are rationalizing. 

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