In this installment of These Vibes, Stevie spoke with Alexander Todorov, psychology professor at Princeton and author of the new book “Face Value: The Irresistible Influence of First Impressions,” which just came out in hardcover earlier this month. The book dives in to his research on first impressions — the very human way we make character judgments after only a glance at another person’s face. These impressions are often incorrect, but can affect important decisions we make, like elections and criminality. In this interview we take a deep dive in to the history of the pseudoscience of physiognomy, as well as current research in psychology and the effect of first impressions on elections, criminal justice, and more.

Additionally, science historian Ingrid Ockert joins us to discuss the text “Programmed Inequality: How Britain Discarded Women Technologists and Lost Its Edge in Computing.”

Science News:

• “Floral curve test shows what’s great for a moth is not so good for a flower” – 3-D printed imaginary flowers reveal hidden pollinator-plant conflict over flower shape
• “Chinese province runs on 100% renewable energy for a week to test whether grid can cope” – ‘Clean energy is the ultimate way. We need to reduce reliance on fossil fuel’