Study finds out what causes 'resting b*tch face' -- and how it’s not just a girl thing

[Kanye West photo via Invision / Evan Agostini, Anna Kendrick photo via Invision / Chris Pizzello]

What do Queen Elizabeth, Kanye West, and actress Kristen Stewart have in common? They are all victims of RBF – the much-talked about, highly-debated ‘resting bitch face.’

But while the ‘resting bitch face’ draws a lot of discussion regarding its true meaning, not to mention its misogynistic leanings, two behavioral scientists have delved a bit deeper, discovering what truly separates the neutral from the RBF.

Using a tool called FaceReader, which analyses human expression, researchers Jason Rogers and Abbe Macbeth, found the main point of expression that separated neutrality from RBF was contempt, as reported in the October 2015 study.

According to Rogers and Macbeth, the facial differences are subtle, and can be as small as a tightening around the eyes or one side of the mouth pulling back, the pair told The Washington Post.

The study also found that the much-mocked facial expression is found in both men and women equally, but women are often targeted due to social expectations.

Actress Anna Kendrick is a prime example, as the actress has publicly called herself out for her RBF.

“When she was younger, directors would say, ‘Why don’t you smile more, you need to smile more, you don’t seem like you’re very happy,’” Macbeth told The Washington Post. “That’s something that’s expected from women far more than it’s expected from men, and there’s a lot of anecdotal articles and scientific literature on that.”

If you’re curious about whether your face leans towards the bitchy, Rogers and Macbeth are accepting photographs of neutral expression to be analyzed.