Rethinking Facial Expressions
Hello. In today's post, I'll introduce the intriguing topic of facial expressions. Certainly, facial expressions have captivated psychologists as an area of research. Pioneered by scientist Paul Ekman, investigations into facial expressions have uncovered their universal nature across various cultures. For instance, the wide-eyed expression is universally recognized as a sign of fear, irrespective of cultural background, suggesting that fear, along with other emotions, is universally recognized and expressed. However, there are several criticisms of this theory. Firstly, Ekman and his colleagues primarily used static and exaggerated images in their research. In real-life interactions, facial expressions are more dynamic, and these emotions may not be as overt as depicted in these pictures. Secondly, researchers often employ the forced-choice paradigm, where participants must select from predetermined options, with only one deemed correct. For instance, when presented with a picture showing narrowed eyebrows, participants are asked to choose between happiness, anger, surprise, sadness, fear, or disgust. This method restricts participants from freely expressing their interpretation, assuming that these emotions are fundamental and that there is only one correct response.
Consider a specific scenario where a child displays a particular facial expression. In the image on the left, participants are presented with a question asking, "What emotion is this person experiencing?" and must choose one option from a provided list. Conversely, in the image on the right, the question is open-ended: "What emotion is this person experiencing?" Interestingly, this alteration in methodology significantly impacts the responses provided by participants.
Using still images, devoid of body language cues and featuring exaggerated facial expressions, significantly deviates from real-life interactions. This prompts the question: in order to accurately gauge people's perception of emotions from facial expressions, should we employ more natural and dynamic expressions, such as video clips? Interestingly, it turns out that the primary function of facial expressions is not to "express" emotions. Furthermore, even if their function were indeed to express emotions, we lack a reliable method of measuring individuals' true feelings. It's crucial to recognize that your experience of fear may vastly differ from mine, and even your own experience of fear varies depending on the context. To effectively study facial movements, it's essential to place them within a context and examine the specific function they serve in that particular moment.
This is where the theory of facial movements takes a new perspective. Researchers like Alan Fridlund introduced a fresh interpretation of facial displays, emphasizing their external function rather than their internal significance. Known as the behavioral ecology view of facial displays, this theory explores how we employ facial movements to influence others. For instance, a smile may be used to elicit friendliness from others, while a wide-eyed expression may serve to deter potential threats. However, the emotions we experience during these moments can vary significantly. According to the behavioral ecology view, our focus lies in understanding the type of behavior a specific facial display is intended to elicit. Importantly, a single facial display may serve multiple functions, with its purpose differing from one situation to another. This implies that we shouldn't automatically infer specific emotions from other people's facial expressions, as newer studies indicate a minimal association between facial movements and emotions.
E.g. Imagine you're at a restaurant with someone and you ask them how they liked the meal. Their narrowed eyebrows indicate their assessment of the meal itself, rather than reflecting their emotional state. Seeing this display on your friend's face, you might reconsider ordering that dish in the future!
"Our facial displays are not about us, or what is inside us; they are about you. They are about signaling our contingent next move in order to alter yours." - Alan Fridlund
Notice how the focus shifts from merely interpreting facial expressions to a more dynamic and functional perspective. In future blog posts, I'll explore the intricacies of this shift in greater detail. Once more, a big thank you to all the readers for dedicating your time to reading this content.
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