Chapter 2: Facial Expressions Flashcards
Emotions
transient, bio-psycho-social reactions to events that have consequences for our welfare and potentially require immediate action
o A state, not a trait
o Reaction from an appraisal process
Moods
longer lasting affective states; dispose people to have certain emotions more frequently
Personality Trait
a thing people are born with, that predisposes them to have certain emotions
Biological Emotions
emotions that evidence indicates are biologically innate
* The 6 universal emotions are biological
Nonbiological Emotion
emotions for which there is no or insufficient evidence that they are biologically innate
6 Universal Emotions
anger, disgust, fear, joy, sadness, and surprise
o Controversy over whether contempt is considered a 7th universal emotion
Macroexpressions
0.5 to 4 seconds, single emotions, no reason to be modified or concealed
o Occur when we are uninhibited, alone, or with family and close friends
o Relatively easy to see on the face
Microexpressions
0.5 seconds to 67 milliseconds, likely emotions that one wishes to conceal
o Most people cannot see or recognize them in real time
Subtle Expressions/Low Intensity Expression
-low intensity emotional expressions that occur when a person is just starting to feel an emotion
-when the emotional response is of low intensity
-when a person is trying to cover up their emotions but isn’t entirely able to do so
theory that everyone has same facial expressions, no matter the culture; they’re given to us from the spiritual realm; ALL emotions have universal facial expressions (not just the basic emotions)
Darwin (1872)
o Broad theoretical underpinnings
Who conducted the study of 2 preliterate tribes in New Guinea
Ekman & Friesen (1971)
Ekman and Friesen 1971 study:
o Study 1: New Guineans recognized emotions in Western faces
o Study 2: Americans who had never seen New Guineans correctly identified emotions in films of New Guineans expressing emotions
o Conclusion - facial expression recognition was not a learned behavior from mass media
DECODING STUDY
Friesen 1972 study:
Recorded facial reactions of Americans & Japanese while watching neutral and stressful films
o Found same facial expressions for 6 universal emotions across both cultures
o Provided first evidence that facial expressions are universally produced, not just recognized
ENCODING STUDY
Function of anger
function is to help us to remove obstacles by preparing us to fight
Function of disgust
function is to eliminate the contaminated object or idea
Function of fear
function is to help us avoid threats and reduce the impending harm
Function of sadness
shut down one’s mind and body, and to recoup one’s resources; also, send a help signal
Function of surprise
function is to help individuals orient to the surprising event and thus process more information about it before possibly reacting in other ways
Function of happiness/joy
function is to ensure future motivation toward goals, facilitating goal-directed behaviors
Function of contempt (controversial emotion 7)
function is to assert one’s moral superiority over something/someone else
Why is the Face the Most Prominent Nonverbal Channel?
o It conveys emotions, intentions, and credibility more than any other body part.
o Reflects both involuntary reactions and voluntary expressions.
Charles Darwin’s Contribution to Facial Expression Research
- Suggested that facial expressions are biologically innate and universal.
- Argued that expressions evolved as adaptive responses to survival
Functions of Emotions
Help in rapid decision-making (e.g., fear signals danger).
* Aid in survival and adaptation (e.g., disgust prevents consumption of spoiled food).
Meta-Analysis of Facial Expression Research
Findings: Strong agreement across cultures on emotion recognition.
* Low-intensity expressions also hold cross-cultural meaning.
Scientific vs. Cultural Theories of Facial Expressions
- Ekman & Izard: Facial expressions are biologically hardwired.
- Mead & Birdwhistell: Facial expressions are culturally learned (later disproven).
Significance of Emotional Recognition
- Helps in law enforcement (detecting lies).
- Used in healthcare (patient interactions).
- Important in business negotiations and legal settings.
What did Darwin theorize about facial expressions?
- Everyone has the same facial expressions, no matter their culture
- They are innate, given from God(s)
- All emotions have universal facial expressions, not just the 6/7 basic/universal emotional expressions
