Shaved Heads: Less Attractive but More Powerful
Men: Do you want to project an aura of confidence, strength and overall masculinity? You could experiment with testosterone supplements, or study the swagger of Don Draper during a Mad Men marathon.
Or you could just shave your head.
Three newly published studies “provide consistent evidence that a shaved scalp is associated with dominance,” according to Albert Mannes of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Writing in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science, he reports that, at least in U.S. culture, a lack of hair connotes a forceful, assertive personality.
Guys opt for the “shaved style” because “it looks sharp and intimidating,” according to a style columnist for the Ask Men website. While “sharp” is in the eye of the beholder, Mannes’ research suggests “intimidating” is right on the mark.
In his first experiment, photos of 25 men enrolled in a university’s MBA program were evaluated by a panel of 59 students. Each man wore a similar dark suit and tie, but 10 had shaved heads; the others wore their hair at varying lengths. The bald men were judged as more powerful, influential, and authoritative than their combed counterparts.