Carlota Batres Associate Professor of Psychology
Education
Ph.D., Psychology, University of St Andrews
M.S., Evolutionary and Comparative Psychology, University of St Andrews
B.A., Psychology, Economics, Wellesley College with Study Abroad at the London School of Economics and Oxford University
Research
My research examines the information that faces convey. It only takes milliseconds for our brains to process someone鈥檚 face and unconsciously, we use facial cues to make a myriad of social judgments, ranging from how dominant someone is to how attractive we find them. Moreover, those judgments influence a wide array of social outcomes, from election results to partner choices, and therefore it is important to understand the mechanisms underpinning such perceptions.
For my PhD, I investigated the science behind what it is that we find attractive as well as the effects that facial masculinity, height, age, and adiposity have on each other and on judgments of dominance. My postdoc was then funded by CHANEL and focused on how cosmetics influence facial perceptions and social outcomes.
For more information, visit
Publications
Publications
Aung, T., Hill, A. K., Hlay, J. K.,... Batres, C.,... & Puts, D. (2024). . Psychological Science.
Koenig, B. L., Savage, J. M., Leukel, P. J.,... & Batres, C. (2023). The Journal of the Evolutionary Studies Consortium.
Sorokowska, A., Kowal, M., Saluja, S.,... Batres, C.,... & Croy, I. (2023). Scientific Reports.
Buchanan, E. M., Lewis, S. C., Paris, B.,... Batres, C.,... & Vega, D. (2023). Scientific Data.
Batres, C., Russell, R., & Workowski, M. (2022). Vision Research.
Batres, C., & Robinson, H. (2022). PloS ONE.
Batres, C., Jones, A.L., Barlett, C.P., Porcheron, A., Morizot, F., & Russell, R. (2022). . Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts.
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Dorison, C. A., Lerner, J. S., Heller, B. H.,... Batres, C.,... & Coles, N. (2022). Affective Science.
Kerry, N., Al-Shawaf, L., Barbato, M., Batres, C.,... & Murray, D. R. (2022). Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
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Kowal, M., Sorokowski, P., Pisanski, K.,... Batres, C.,... & Mi拧eti膰, K. (2022). Evolution and Human Behavior.
Batres, C., & Shiramizu, V. (2022). Current Psychology.
Hlay, J.K., Albert, G., Batres, C.,... & Hodges-Simeon, C.R. (2022). Evolution and Human Behavior.
Legate, N., Ngyuen, T.V., Weinstein, N.,... Batres, C.,... & Primbs, M. (2022). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Bago, B., Kovacs, M., Protzko, J.,... Batres, C.,... & Aczel, B. (2022). Nature Human Behaviour.
Landy, J. F., Rottman, J., Batres, C., & Leimgruber, K. L. (2021). Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
Boothroyd, L.G., Jucker, J. L., Thornborrow, T., Tovee, M.J., Batres, C., & Penton-Voak, I. (2021). Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology.
Wang, K., Goldenberg, A., Dorison, C.A.,... Batres, C.,... & Moshontz, H. (2021). Nature Human Behaviour.
Walter, K.V., Conroy-Beam, D., Buss, D.M.,... Batres, C.,... & Zupan膷i膷, M. (2021). Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Batres, C., Porcheron, A., Courr猫ges, S., & Russell, R. (2021). Perception.
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Hlay, J.K., Albert, G., Batres, C., Richardson, G., Placek, C., Arnocky, S., Lieberman, D., & Hodges-Simeon, C. R. (2021). Scientific Reports.
Sorokowska, A., Saluja, S., Sorokowski, P.,... Batres, C.,... & Croy, I. (2021). Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
Jones, B.C., DeBruine, L.M., Flake, J.K.,... Batres, C.,... & Coles, N.A. (2021). Nature Human Behaviour.
Sorokowski, P., Sorokowska, A., Karwowski, M., ... Batres, C.,... & Sternberg, R.J. (2020). The Journal of Sex Research.
Batres, C., & Russell, R. (2020). . Cosmetics.
Batres C. (2020). . Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science.
Walter, K. V., Conroy-Beam, D., Buss, D. M., Asao, K.,... Batres, C.,... & Amjad, N. (2020). . Psychological Science.
Batres, C., Jones, B. C., & Perrett, D. I. (2020). . International Journal of Sexual Health.
Russell, R., Batres, C., Jones, A., & Porcheron, A. (2019). . Journal of Vision.
Conroy-Beam, D., Buss, D. M., Asao, K., Sorokowska, A.,... Batres, C.,... & Zupancic, M. (2019). . Scientific Reports.
Batres C. (2019). . Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science.
Borras, M. L., Batres, C., & Perrett, D. I. (2019). . Human Nature.
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Conroy-Beam, D., Roney, J. R., Lukaszewski, A. W., Buss, D. M.,... Batres, C.,... & Alm, C. (2019). . Evolution and Human Behavior.
Batres, C., Porcheron, A., Latreille, J., Roche, M., Morizot, F., & Russell, R. (2019). . Skin Research & Technology.
Batres, C., & Perrett, D. I. (2019). . Cognition and Emotion.
Batres, C., Kramer, S. S., DeAngelis, C. G., & Russell, R. (2019). . PloS ONE.
Moshontz, H., Campbell, L., Ebersole, C. R.,... Batres, C.,... & Flake, J. K. (2018). . Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science.
Batres, C., Porcheron, A., Kaminski, G., Courr猫ges, S., Morizot, F., & Russell, R. (2018). . Frontiers in Psychology.
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Russell, R., Batres, C., Courr猫ges, S., Kaminski, G., Soppelsa, F., Morizot, F., & Porcheron, A. (2018). . British Journal of Psychology.
Borras Guevara M.L., & Batres C. (2018). . Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science.
Batres, C., Russell, R., Simpson, J. A., Campbell, L., Milroy A. M., & Cronk, L. (2018). . Personality and Individual Differences.
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Batres, C., Borras-Guevara, M.L., & Perrett, D.I. (2018). . SAGE Research Methods Cases.鈥嬧��
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Borras, M. L., Batres, C., & Perrett, D. I. (2017). . Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology.
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鈥婮ones, A., Batres, C., Porcheron, A., Sweda, J., Morizot, F., & Russell, R. (2017). . Visual Cognition.
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Batres, C., Kannan, M., & Perrett, D.I. (2017). . Human Nature.
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Borras, M. L., Batres, C., & Perrett, D. I. (2017). Evolution and Human Behavior.
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Watkins, C. D., Nicholls, M. J., Batres, C., Xiao, D., Talamas, S., & Perrett, D. I. (2017). Cognition.
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Batres, C., & Perrett, D.I. (2016). . Ethology.
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Batres, C., & Perrett, D.I. (2016). . Evolutionary Psychology.
Batres, C., Re, D.E., & Perrett, D.I. (2015) . Perception.
Batres, C., & Perrett, D.I. (2014). . PLoS ONE.
Course Information
Evolutionary Psychology
An introduction to how evolution has shaped many different traits and behaviors. This course will focus on natural and sexual selection, with a greater emphasis on aspects of human behavior. Specific topics covered will include adaptive solutions to survival (e.g., emotions of fear, disgust) and mating (e.g., partner preferences, jealousy).
Design and Statistics
This course will familiarize students with the research methods and statistical procedures used in psychology. In the lecture, we will focus primarily on the description, analysis, and interpretation of data. In the lab, we will examine what methods are best suited for answering which research questions and deploy these methods to answer questions. When you complete this course, you should have the knowledge to think critically about the results of research you encounter in your everyday life and the skills to perform scientific studies of your own.
Face Perception with a Laboratory
An introduction to the study of face perception. This course focuses on the processes which are involved in the perception and recognition of human faces. Specific topics covered include how facial traits influence judgments and the variability in face processing abilities.
Ethics and Experimentation
What is ethical when it comes to science? The answer to that question can vary depending on the test subjects (e.g., humans, rats), location (e.g., institutional review board protocols in that country), and time (e.g., current day, 1950s). While discussing this question and considering ethical dilemmas, students will develop skills of reading, speaking, writing, critical thinking, and research/ information literacy.