Why do we fixate on the human face?

Why do we fixate on the human face?

From Late Night Live - Separate stories podcast by ABC Australia

June 11, 2026 · 26 min

About this episode

The episode explores how our perceptions of the human face are influenced by culture and technology, featuring historian Fay Bound-Alberti.

What's in a face? The face is where all our senses come together, but we also perceive each other's faces through the prisms of culture and technology. Historian Fay Bound-Alberti's new book examines how our perceptions of the face have been shaped by ancient ideas of morality, social hierarchy and psychology. Guest: Dr Fay Bound-Alberti is a professor of Modern History at King’s College London, and the author of ‘The Face: A Cultural History’

People in this episode

Guest: Dr Fay Bound-Alberti

Topics covered

  • human face
  • cultural perceptions
  • morality
  • social hierarchy
  • psychology

Keywords

  • human face
  • cultural history
  • Fay Bound-Alberti
  • morality
  • social hierarchy
  • psychology

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: King’s College London

Books & works: The Face: A Cultural History

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