Prototypical disgust face: a method artifact
Read more about this work in the Boston College Magazine!
Is the emotion you see in a face influenced by the face you see before it? Our study showed the effect of experimental context on how we interpret the prototypical, and purportedly universal, facial expression of disgust. The "disgust face" was labeled as disgusted when preceded by a prototypical "angry face", but was labeled as angry when preceded by a facial expression conveying sickness. This study challenges the common and dominant theory that the emotion conveyed by a facial expression is reliable and fixed. [pdf]
Read more about this work in the Boston College Magazine!
Is the emotion you see in a face influenced by the face you see before it? Our study showed the effect of experimental context on how we interpret the prototypical, and purportedly universal, facial expression of disgust. The "disgust face" was labeled as disgusted when preceded by a prototypical "angry face", but was labeled as angry when preceded by a facial expression conveying sickness. This study challenges the common and dominant theory that the emotion conveyed by a facial expression is reliable and fixed. [pdf]
People with different levels of education recognize emotions differently
The popular theory of emotion suggests that all people, regardless of gender, age, or culture view facial expressions of emotion in the same way; however, most emotion research has used a university-educated Western sample. A study of university-educated and non-university-educated Americans found that education level has an effect on the way in which people recognize emotions. Participants with no university education were less likely to label the "fear face" as scared or the "disgust face" as disgusted, but more likely to label the "anger face" as angry and the "sad face" as sad. Evidence thus mounts against the theory that facial expressions of emotion are universally recognized in the same way. [pdf]
The popular theory of emotion suggests that all people, regardless of gender, age, or culture view facial expressions of emotion in the same way; however, most emotion research has used a university-educated Western sample. A study of university-educated and non-university-educated Americans found that education level has an effect on the way in which people recognize emotions. Participants with no university education were less likely to label the "fear face" as scared or the "disgust face" as disgusted, but more likely to label the "anger face" as angry and the "sad face" as sad. Evidence thus mounts against the theory that facial expressions of emotion are universally recognized in the same way. [pdf]
Think kids know how you feel? Less than you think...
Children cannot easily identify emotions from faces in pictures or videos. Previous research uncovered children’s difficulty in recognizing emotions from facial expressions when shown only still photographs. In a new study of 5-10 year old children, video-recorded moving faces were shown, but children were no better, and sometimes worse, in recognizing the emotions conveyed. Evidence further mounts against the theory that emotional facial expressions evolved to signal emotions to children. This study was carried-out by Sherri Widen of Yale University and will be published in the Journal of Cognition and Development.
Children cannot easily identify emotions from faces in pictures or videos. Previous research uncovered children’s difficulty in recognizing emotions from facial expressions when shown only still photographs. In a new study of 5-10 year old children, video-recorded moving faces were shown, but children were no better, and sometimes worse, in recognizing the emotions conveyed. Evidence further mounts against the theory that emotional facial expressions evolved to signal emotions to children. This study was carried-out by Sherri Widen of Yale University and will be published in the Journal of Cognition and Development.
The many stories of a facial expression
Many researchers and lay people alike agree that we can tell how someone is feeling by simply "reading" their face --- but we often forget the rich repertoire of sources we have at hand when judging another's emotion. In our study (Kayyal, Widen, & Russell, in press), we explored two sources: the facial expression and context. Adults judged the emotion in each of 15 facial expressions of athletes in the 2012 Olympics who had just won or lost their respective event. Participants were given either correct, incorrect, or no information about the results of the event. The emotion participants saw in a face was consistently based on the context, regardless of the facial expression displayed. The same facial expression was viewed as emotionally positive or emotionally negative, depending on whether the observer was told that the facial expression occurred in a positive or negative situation, respectively. Thus, context is more powerful than the face in judging another's emotion.
Many researchers and lay people alike agree that we can tell how someone is feeling by simply "reading" their face --- but we often forget the rich repertoire of sources we have at hand when judging another's emotion. In our study (Kayyal, Widen, & Russell, in press), we explored two sources: the facial expression and context. Adults judged the emotion in each of 15 facial expressions of athletes in the 2012 Olympics who had just won or lost their respective event. Participants were given either correct, incorrect, or no information about the results of the event. The emotion participants saw in a face was consistently based on the context, regardless of the facial expression displayed. The same facial expression was viewed as emotionally positive or emotionally negative, depending on whether the observer was told that the facial expression occurred in a positive or negative situation, respectively. Thus, context is more powerful than the face in judging another's emotion.
Monsters, robbers, and other creepy things!
What frightens children?
The dominant theory is that imaginary creatures loom large in (and perhaps even dominate) children's understanding of fear. And indeed, American preschoolers robustly associate fear with monsters and ghosts than with real threats to safety. Surprisingly little research has been done on children from other cultures. In our study, American and Palestinian preschoolers were told stories about what might have caused a protagonist to feel scared. For Americans and Palestinians, both imaginary and realistic causes of fear came to mind, though to different degrees. Imaginary causes came to mind more readily for Americans; realistic causes came to mind more readily for Palestinians. Thus, children's understanding of fear involves both imaginary and realistic fears, but neither is universally dominant. [pdf]
What frightens children?
The dominant theory is that imaginary creatures loom large in (and perhaps even dominate) children's understanding of fear. And indeed, American preschoolers robustly associate fear with monsters and ghosts than with real threats to safety. Surprisingly little research has been done on children from other cultures. In our study, American and Palestinian preschoolers were told stories about what might have caused a protagonist to feel scared. For Americans and Palestinians, both imaginary and realistic causes of fear came to mind, though to different degrees. Imaginary causes came to mind more readily for Americans; realistic causes came to mind more readily for Palestinians. Thus, children's understanding of fear involves both imaginary and realistic fears, but neither is universally dominant. [pdf]
You look arrogant
Two studies found that hubris is seen as a distinct emotion with a distinct facial expression, thus adding it to the list of basic emotions. The key was presenting the face in motion (via video) rather than in a still photo. Someone seen as showing hubris is rated as showing undeserved pride and as being arrogant and conceited. [pdf]
Two studies found that hubris is seen as a distinct emotion with a distinct facial expression, thus adding it to the list of basic emotions. The key was presenting the face in motion (via video) rather than in a still photo. Someone seen as showing hubris is rated as showing undeserved pride and as being arrogant and conceited. [pdf]