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EPA. AP
Sometime in his late 30s, after his hair had been thinning for several years, Dr. Albert Mannes decided to shave what was left of his mane. He then noticed a curious thing: "Strangers were more standoffish, more deferential," he recalls.
"I found that people treated me differently once I started shaving my head, which made me wonder whether my experience was unique," says Mannes.
This led Mannes, a lecturer at the Wharton School, at the University of Pennsylvania, to design three experiments that tested other people's perception of men with shaved heads. His findings appear in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science.
All three studies found similar results: A man's shorn scalp was linked with dominance. In other words, men with shaved heads were perceived as powerful by others.
It seems that closely cropped or bald domes have a certain manly swagger to them that project a powerful look.
In the first study, 59 college students looked at 25 photographs of men enrolled in a business school program. Ten of the men had shaved heads while the rest wore their hair in various styles and lengths.
Volunteers rated the photos of men with shorn scalps as more dominant, meaning they looked more powerful, influential, and authoritative than those with a full head of hair.
In a second experiment, 344 adults were shown photographs of four different men. One photo was of the man's real hair and a second shot of him had been digitally altered to remove all of it.
Adults rated men with the digitally shaved heads as more dominant than his coiffed counterpart, an effect researchers say was largely due to perceiving men with shorn scalps as having more confidence and masculinity.
In addition, men without much hair were viewed as nearly an inch taller and 13 percent stronger than men with plenty of it. Although a shaved head had its advantages, men were rated as less attractive and looking nearly four years older than guys with full heads of hair.
Why is a nearly bare head perceived as more dominant? Mannes offers three explanations.
For one, he points to stereotypes. "Shaved heads are found in American culture in traditionally masculine professions, such as the military, law enforcement, and sports," Mannes explains.
A second is that a man who shaves his head is viewed as unconventional. And there's some evidence that the powerful are less inhibited about violating conventional norms, he says.
Finally, Mannes suggests that since "Society places such a high aesthetic value on hair, it takes confidence for a man to dispense with it."
In a third experiment, no photographs were used and more than 500 adults rated their perception of a man based solely on a written physical description of him. All volunteers read the exact same profile except for the description of his hair, which portrayed him as having thick brown hair, thinning brown hair, or a shaved head.
The man described as having a shaved head was rated highest in dominance, masculinity, leadership potential, and strength. The guy with thick tresses scored higher for attractiveness than a shorn scalp and slightly higher on confidence.
The dude with thinning hair scored the lowest on every trait except for norm violation.
"Men with thinning hair may improve their self-esteem and how they are perceived by others by shaving," Mannes suggests.
He advises men who are getting sparse on top "to stop fighting Mother Nature and try the shaved look."
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Leave a Comment:
It is true - I've been shaving my head since I was 30 (I am 46 now) and have never regretted it. I began thinning out at 20 and did worry about it for some time, but then one day it just occurred to me to say, "Eff it, I might as well go the entire way". And so I did - and it was odd at first. But then I noticed how people did treat you with respect and deferrance, and so the article is correct in that assessment. And the ladies? Always appreciated by them (although only my wife gets to touch my head). So men - unless your head is unusual, then definitely shave it all off.
It's called the Bruce Willis Effect............
For the look to work you have to have all of your teeth.
A toothless macho man with a shaved head? LOL
what a sexist remark, the hair on our head has always been a symbol of wealth, health, and our very looks to others is well established in the way our hair looks male or female. to think you look more intelligent then others because you have a bald head is ridicules and so untrue as you look more unhealthy and in about to die mode look. if you want to shave your head go for it but don't sit there and tell the rest of us to look stupid like you do to do it too, your nuts....
Ron B.
Your argument would hold so much more weight were it not for all of the glaring errors.
P.S. I'm bald.
"Men with thinning hair may improve their self-esteem and how they are perceived by others by shaving," Mannes suggests.
My hair line has receded during my 58 years on this planet and my hair has thinned, but I can assure you that my self esteem has not suffered one iota. Why? Because my self esteem is not built on my hair but rather on my abilities, capabilities, and accomplishments.
Have we become so fixated on outward appearance? Beauty is only skin deep, and will naturally age. The inner qualities of one's self are what are truly lasting.
Is that why so many wimps shave their heads? To look tougher? I think the real reason is they assume a shaved head looks better than a head of thinning, or gray hair.
If they ever come out with a product that absolutely restores a full head of hair, then we'll see how many baldies will be still left.
I shave my head becouse 1 I never need a hair cut 2 i never have a bad hair day 3 it just looks so damn good. lol
I'll still be bald. I've committed to it so much that I'm getting the hair on my head lasered off. B4L!
More importantly, do women prefer the shaved head??
Yep! Hate the look of guys with long hair (no offense, Fabio); love the super short hair and/or shaved bald look. Two words: Vin Diesel. :)
Not this woman. I prefer well-groomed thinning hair over a shaved head any day. To me, a shaved head tends to make me think "arrogant" more than "confident".
Just an opinion, but you asked!
I think well-groomed is the word. I take good care of myself so I expect the same in return. Some men look great with a shaved head, some do not, but that is in the eye of the beholder.
I like having hair to run my fingers through (prefer the artsy long hair, think Roger Federer), but if I find a bald man that treats me like a queen and doesn't look too shabby, I would definitely not pass him over.
hockeymom1111, your screen name says a lot about you. I bet you're conservative and into macho stuff --- and a bit arrogant --- sort of like Sarah Palin.
hockeymom1111: Funny you should pick a gay guy.
I prefer the look of bald guys, but ended up married to a guy with a very thick head of hair. For me it is the confidence and personality that matters more than the hair. If they are that worried about their hair it shows an insecurity.
To be honest WaylonA. and I can't speak for others, just myself. It's the guy that matters. Some guys can really pull off the shaved look with no problem but others just look better with hair.
And I can't complain one way or the other. I'm a woman who just shaved my head. It's weird. I want it covered so people don't pass judgement and crap but <bleepity bleep bleep> it feels good!
Caucasian men with shaved heads look like skinheads to me. It makes me think of arrogance, stupidity, and dumb rednecks. I don't like it at all. Not to mention the propensity to look like a giant tadpole. I much prefer a balding man to keep the sides cropped short, but there. In fact, I think this look is hot! Sometimes the "I'm balding so I shave my head look" makes the man seem like he thinks he is pulling a fast one, or tricking others into not knowing he is balding.
I have found the same thing to be true. Also, there is a complete segment of the female population that has a thing for guys with shaved heads, so once I started shaving my head I found that I was getting more attention that I wasn't getting before. If youre thinking about shaving it, just do it already! I think you will be pleased by the reaction you get.
I shave my head every three days..works for me, i started shaving my head at age 26, im 33 now..i got tired of going to the barbershop paying their rising prices and then after 3 days your hairlines grow back and you got to get a "shape up again"..i can shave it myself, its easy, efficient, doesnt cost much rather i use a razor or electric razor, i can always go over it...its smooth, my head looks clean..i dont have a shiny shaved head but the top of my head or dome goes with my face, and i have a baby face they say...Women like my shaved head, they grab the top of it, they say thats the look for you, some women say i look like LL cool J another lightskin guy that keeps a shaved head..so i will be rocking my shaved look for the rest of my life....
Hmmm, my hair is getting thinner, and I have often thought that when it gets to be real obvious, I would shave my head too. However, I'm not sure how society would preceive a dumpy woman with a bald pate. I'd probably end up with the pity looks. Bummer.
Well I can tell you from experience. A couple years ago I got lice at work. I work with developmentally disabled kids, one liked to lean her head against mine every time I knelt next to her desk to help and... I don't do pesticides and didn't have the time or help to spend hours picking through my hair so I shaved my head and went about my business. Definitely got some looks and several strangers asked what stage I was in (cancer) but overall it wasn't bad. Apparently I have a nicely shaped head, lol.
I've been blessed with a full thick head of hair which exist to this day at age 63; but the shaved head look is a heck of a lot better than the old Fred Rutherford look.(richard Deacon)
Yeah right, I know exactly what I'm looking at when a guy in his 20's has his head shaved. Don't want everyone to see your Male Pattern Baldness right Buddy? I don't look at Bald guys as being particularly tough, that's just in the Movies. Thankfully that gene doesn't run in my family but even if it did I don't see myself shaving my head. I guess it's a Generational thing. To me Bald is Bald, if heredity doesn't do it to you, why do it to yourself? I wouldn't shave my head just because it's all turning Gray! I'm not dyeing it again either, I did that Once and I guess I left it in too long and I came out looking like Elvis! I'll just leave it the way it is. A friend of mine had his hair come back all screwy after he had to deal with Chemo so he keeps a Buzz Cut now, but he doesn't shave his noggin Bald!
Tougher? I'm not sure. Shaved heads always make me think, crazy or insane.
I dont care how tough you look, if you get a compound fracture or mutilated yer gonna cry like a newborn baby. Besides there is no such thing as physical toughness, your body is going to feel what its going to feel, there is only mental and emotional toughness, and neither of those have anything to do with how you look.
The article should say "some guys", my theory is:
25% Look tougher
25% Look suddenly elderly
25% Look like overgrown babies
25% Look mentally disturbed
One good thing about a Chrome Dome is it makes it easier for the ER Doctor to see the fractures i placed in his Skull with a well swung aluminum Baseball Bat. Not so tough Now Are We?
I worked with a guy that shaved all of his hair I think out shear laziness and he looked like humpty dumpty getting ready to fall off the wall again. Guys not everyone should shave their head, find someone that will be very honest with you otherwise you may end up looking like humpty!
I'm guilty of shaving my head a few times because I didn't want to have to bother with grooming or cleaning it, use to do it for swimming because I hated swim caps. The trick I've found to avoid the "murderer look" when you're bald is to really manicure your eyebrows, can dramatically change the expression of your face.
I was almost sold on shaving my head but eyebrow trimming, that's just too much.
I like how the study was conducted by a guy who was going bald and he came up with positive results, what a surprise.
Guys who shave their hair either need to because they are going bald, or need to feel tough because they lack something else. Gang members commit crimes with shaved heads so they all look the same to the victim.
I have and will always have a full head of hair, but I keep it at a 3 for convenience. I think women who see a well groomed man with very short hair are more attracted to them than the guy who has to shave his head.
Men, what does it tell society when you spend as much time trying to obtain a "look" as women do. Product in your hair, shaving your face so you look unshaven, piercings, jewelry, tattoo's and so much cologne they smell you coming. It shows a lack of confidence in what you have and that you are worried about being alone. The word "metrosexual" comes to mind and that's not an image I would want to display. I like just being me.
I am a high school teacher, and shaving my head a few years ago was the best move I've ever made to improve my "classroom management" and student behavior!
My stupid hair is falling out and it's just getting worse and worse. Suppose I should just shave my head bald too and just accept it... but I have a big head and I'll look like Fester Adams.
I'm screwed. Not everyone gets to be pretty I guess. There could be much worse genetic problems to have.
I started losing hair at 20 and after it became noticeable I cut off those that remained out of spite. If you have a gargantuan noggin, I would suggest getting some color on it so you don't stick out like a giant cue ball.
Bald>Thinning>Comb Over
My husband shaves his head because it was easier for him while he was in the Army. He continues to do so because it is cheaper and alot easier to maintain. He is not going bald, he actually would have alot of thick hair if he let it grow out. He doesn't look like Humpty Dumpty, nor does he believe he is any tougher than any other guy out there.
Lenin was successful partially because of his bald tough-guy look.
I fell in love with 'bald' men when I was 5 while watching the King and I. And, I still love it!
Agreed - - Yul Brenner was the bomb!
oh pleeaaasssseeee!!!!
a shaved head means you are going bald. there is nothing sexy, tough, hot, exciting etc about it at all.
it's nasty and most of the time you think "wimp". i hate bald heads and i don't care how you spin it, i would not date a bald guy. for one thing, they are trying to hide something and lying about it, with a bald head.
my husband has thick, luxurious hair. he doesn't spend hours primping and prissying about it. he washes it, shakes it and goes. everyone notices his hair and most everyone, men and women envy those beautiful locks of his.
bald = tough? BULL!!!!!
Wow. So, do you wear make up?
I would hope that since you are married you would stop dating altogether rather than just not dating bald guys. That's not very nice to your husband.
Dan..., when curry said " i hate bald heads and i don't care how you spin it, i would not date a bald guy," I think that she was just being hypothetical at this point.
actually nfil, very seldom and never, ever foundation.
danthemanofvegas, really?
steveh-1645609, thank you:)
and i still haven't changed my mind. it's amazing how many men like to say they shave their heads because it saves time or money when 9 times out of 10 they aren't fooling anyone. they shave because they are balding.
i realize it is no one's fault and it can be a terrible thing. but don't stand there and try to convince me that i am intimidated by this big, strong, powerful bald man. i am married to a 6'8" man with a full head of hair and he doesn't intimidate me either:)LOL
this article is completely erroneous, insulting, as well as plain ludicrous!
Curry-1960, You seem to have a chip on your shoulder. Why? The study appears to provide some evidence that dudes with shaved heads APPEAR more dominant to observers. Your personal perceptions differ from the typical perception of the participants in the study. That's no big deal. You're entitled to your perception even if it is different from what the study finds.
I started balding early and have had a zero blade buzz cut (super close but not wet-shaved) since my early 20s. I'm 39 now. Why do I do it?
1. It prevents the Einstein look. Thinning hair is hard to manage. I don't think that a comb-over would look good on me.
2. It is very low maintenance. 2 minutes every other day with a quality Wahl razor does the trick.
3. Very inexpensive.
Do guys with shaved heads LOOK tougher? Often, but it depends on the guy. Does Brian Cranston look more "dominant" in Malcolm in the Middle or in Breaking Bad ?
When I first buzzed my hair my parents were not happy. Actually, many of the older people in my life didn't like it a first. They thought I might get confused for a skinhead or thug. Most of them quickly warmed up to it, though.
When I was 22, I looked older than my age with my head buzzed. Now that I'm 39 I look younger with this style. I've got a lot of gray that can't be seen. The quantity and color of hair is a key consideration when judging a man's age. I've played with this. On the rare occasions where I have let it grow out I don't get carded. When it's closely cropped the doormen card like crazy if they don't know me already.
When it comes to dating, it is not a look that every woman likes, but the ones who like it seem to REALLY like it. Immediately after shaving my head I was asked out by the cute girl in my history course. I've had zero issues meeting intelligent and attractive women with my hairstyle. If someone doesn't like it, it's no big deal. I can't be everybody's cup of tea.
I'm not sure why you think the article is "erroneous, insulting, as well as plain ludicrous." Why the angst?
We all need to some way to hold on to our "place" in this challenging world. Why do we dye our greying hair? Get our teeth straightened or whitened? Have tummy tucks? Get tattoes? Act out in public places? Adopt the personna we do? Those who shave their heads sense their loss of testosterone. They attempt to regain their self-esteem by calling attention to themselves. It's called coping with age and environment while simultaneously fitting in to whatever niche group they either belong or aspire to.
Actually, male pattern baldness is a sign of a higher level of testosterone.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8569826.stm
http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/update1004a.shtml
And, wow, you're not judgmental at all. Good for you. :-)
I have hair nearly down to my waist and women love that!
Hair is a psychological thing, that's why women themselves grow their hair long in most cases. Hair serves as a marker of health. If you have healthy hair, you probably have good health. Longer hair reflects several years of good health. Biologically, women are attracted to a healthy guy, so therefore like to see hair. Baldies might look sickly or like their hiding a disease. Sure, some women may say they like baldies, but most of them prefer a head full of healthy locks!
Besides, I can shave my head bald in a matter of seconds. Most baldies couldn't grow a healthy head of hair to save their lives.
The body the head is sitting on probably makes a bigger difference.
Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, or Jason Statham vs. Moby?
Conan the Barbarian, Fabio, or Triple H vs. Captain Jack Sparrow?
I'm sure some women love that, but this woman hates it. Don't like long hair on men, sorry. I like a well-groomed short haircut.
And if you can't spend enough time to look past my short hair and get to know me and know I have had "several years of good health" despite preferring (and looking better in) shorter hairstyles, that's your loss, not mine.
Some men with shaved heads look comical. Some don't. Same with hairy headed men. I think the article is pure bullsh^t.
There is nothing wrong with losing one's hair during middle age. However, I never met anyone who was losing their hair while still young, that thought it was fair. Being bald, whether shaved or not, should not connote power. It reflects physical weakness (the balding gene), not strength or power. You baldies aren't fooling anyone. I still have my hair, partially greyed, at 58, and plan to keep what remains.... never to shave or dye.
I like hair on my man's head.