Your face might give away how much money you make

A recent study conducted at the University of Toronto has discovered what the New York Post is dubbing the “resting rich face.” In other words, we might be able to discern someone’s social class just by their facial expression.

The facial expression/social status study, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, grouped people between the ages of 18 and 22 into two groups: those whose total family incomes were under $60,000 and those whose incomes were over $100,000. They then asked each person pose for a photo with a neutral expression.

A separate group of people were asked to classify each person as “rich” or “poor,” and believe it or not, they guessed correctly with a 53 percent accuracy rate — above the rate of random chance.

The authors have also stated the results were uninfluenced by other factors, including the subject’s race and sex, but the evaluation of their facial cues did affect the evaluation of their prospective employability.

Co-author Nicholas Rule said, “Over time your face comes to permanently reflect and reveal your experiences. Even when we think we’re not expressing something, relics of those emotions are still there.”