Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. Goldman Sachs head Lloyd Blankfein. Netscape founder Marc Andreessen. FUBU founder and "Shark Tank" investor Daymond John. Lots of heavy hitters in business are bald guys. And not just balding, but completely bare up there. You could argue that it's symptomatic of male privilege. But according to research from the University of Pennsylvania, there's something powerful about having a smooth dome.
In three experiments, researcher Albert Mannes found:
? "Men with shaved heads were rated as more dominant."
? "Men whose hair was digitally removed were perceived as more dominant, taller, and stronger than their authentic selves."
? "Men experiencing natural hair loss may improve their interpersonal standing by shaving."
Now a data scientist for the US government, Mannes argues that the shaved-and-dominant link comes from cultural associations, in the same way that being tall and having a deep voice each signal dominance.
"In US society ... shaved heads are often found on men in traditionally masculine professions," he writes, "so dominance may emerge through stereotypical associations with these figures."
When guys decide to shave off their hair, they're tapping into a cultural history of close-cropped dominance, from Michael Jordan imposing his will on the basketball court to Bruce Willis saving the day on the silver screen.
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Bald men signals dominance - Business Insider