Take the challenge!
Posted on 06/03/2012 5:05:21 PM PDT by Theoria
“GAYDAR” colloquially refers to the ability to accurately glean others’ sexual orientation from mere observation. But does gaydar really exist? If so, how does it work?
Our research, published recently in the peer-reviewed journal PLoS ONE, shows that gaydar is indeed real and that its accuracy is driven by sensitivity to individual facial features as well as the spatial relationships among facial features.
We conducted experiments in which participants viewed facial photographs of men and women and then categorized each face as gay or straight. The photographs were seen very briefly, for 50 milliseconds, which was long enough for participants to know they’d seen a face, but probably not long enough to feel they knew much more. In addition, the photos were mostly devoid of cultural cues: hairstyles were digitally removed, and no faces had makeup, piercings, eyeglasses or tattoos.
Even when viewing such bare faces so briefly, participants demonstrated an ability to identify sexual orientation: overall, gaydar judgments were about 60 percent accurate.
Since chance guessing would yield 50 percent accuracy, 60 percent might not seem impressive. But the effect is statistically significant — several times above the margin of error. Furthermore, the effect has been highly replicable: we ourselves have consistently discovered such effects in more than a dozen experiments, and our gaydar research was inspired by the work of the social psychologist Nicholas Rule, who has published on the gaydar phenomenon numerous times in the past few years.
We reported two such experiments in PLoS ONE, both of which yielded novel findings. In one experiment, we found above-chance gaydar accuracy even when the faces were presented upside down. Accuracy increased, however, when the faces were presented right side up.
What can we make of this peculiar discovery?
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
And Hollywood talent agents always seem to know which child actors are likely to grow up and be homosexuals. Those kids get the jobs far more often than the straight kids.
Hmmm.... I’m skeptical... If true there may be something in the gay gene theory... Unless of course the pictures showed some gay expressions.
And much of what we do know indicates it is caused by abuse...
I don’t know if all they are basing their hypothesis on is facial features (won’t give the slimes a hit) but a 60% hit rate on that alone is pretty good.
The fact is that homos are predatory and consequently telegraphing themselves and their intentions every moment so it isn’t difficult to spot one.
A fox DOESN'T smell his own hole first?
Unless they are wearing girl clothes and walking/talking like a girl, I have absolutely no clue which guys are gay. It shocks me everytime I find out.
I used to be gay, but then she broke my heart.
I can tell that the authors of this article are gay just by observing who they work for.
I remember seeing Liberace when I was growing up and there was nary a word from the adults about his nature. He was usually described as ‘flamboyant’ or ‘artistic’, which I suppose at the time were code words for homosexual. Even in the absence of any societal reference, I knew the guy was a Nancy boy and I knew he made me uncomfortable. I was slightly amazed he could behave that way in public and more amazed at the apparent density of the people around me that they couldn’t read this guy. It wasn’t till later I realized homosexuality had (and has) no place in civilized conversation.
Characteristics of voice, manner of dress, body language, etc, can telegraph gayness to somebody who is attuned to what to look for.
I grew up watching non-gay heavy metal bands dressing up like women, wearing makup, and getting lots of hot young girls to fall in love with them. Maybe this is what destroyed my gaydar because I have absolutely zero gaydar.
Statistically, homosexuals make up less than 2% of the population. In some states, homosexuals are not well received -- so they do their best to hide their orientation. Some homosexuals in such areas just pack up and leave: they go to San Francisco or some other big city where they can "be themselves". The end result is that some locations have much LESS than 2% of the population being homosexual -- and the ones that are there do their best to be invisble.
The net result is that some heterosexuals grow up in areas where homosexuals just don't seem to exist. Spot a homosexual? People wouldn't know how!
But me? I lived in Boston, MA for 20 years. I worked in journalism. I worked in academia. I worked in the arts community. Let me tell you: I can spot a homosexual real quick. I don't say my gaydar is perfect, but it's pretty well honed.
Hilarious juxtaposition!
Then again, that was a time when men did not discuss such things with children.
There is gaydar. Homosexuals like to deride that people can reliably tell who is gay, because they don't want to be outed by others.
Mine is pretty good too. If I question whether he is homosexual, he is.
Sometimes I know before he does.
Worked with a guy who got married had a kid, divorced and is now practicing the happy lifestyle. I thought he might be light in the loafers from the first time we met.
You know what really confuses? Straight American guys who have spent some time in Europe. They come back from their Semester Abroad and set off my gaydar like crazy.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.