When Police Smile: A Two Sample Test of the Effects of Facial Expressions on Perceptions of Police

Police officers exist at the center of much perceptual scrutiny. The present research contributes to the police perception literature by empirically evaluating the effects of facial expressions on perceptions of police officers. Using an experimental methodology, participants were exposed to images of police officers exhibiting either a neutral facial expression or a smile, and then asked to rate them on several important outcomes, including...