The Behavioral Ecology View of Facial Displays, 25 Years Later

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan J. Fridlund
Keyword(s):  
Facial Expressions ◽  
Behavioral Ecology ◽  
Basic Emotion ◽  
Externalist View ◽  
Facial Displays ◽  
Emotion Theory

This chapter documents the twin origins of the behavioral ecology view (BECV) of human facial expressions, in (1) the empirical weakness and internal contradictions of the accounts proposed by basic emotion theory (BET) and particularly the neurocultural theory of Paul Ekman et al., and (2) newer understandings about the evolution of animal signaling and communication. BET conceives of our facial expressions as quasi-reflexes which are triggered by universal, modular emotion programs but require management in each culture lest they emerge unthrottled. Unlike BET, BECV regards our facial expressions as contingent signals of intent toward interactants within specific contexts of interaction, even when we are alone and our interactants are ourselves, objects, or implicit others. BECV’s functionalist, externalist view does not deny “emotion,” however it is defined, but does not require it to explain human facial displays.

Natural Facial Expression

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
José-Miguel Fernández-Dols
Keyword(s):  
Facial Expression ◽  
Facial Expressions ◽  
Behavioral Ecology ◽  
Basic Emotion ◽  
Basic Emotions ◽  
Communicative Function ◽  
Emotional Episodes

The notion that there are universal facial expressions of basic emotion remains a dominant idea in the study of emotion. Inspired by pragmatics, and based on behavioral ecology and psychological constructionism, this chapter provides an alternative to the concept of facial expression of basic emotion: the concept of natural facial expression. Actual, observable natural facial expressions do not mean self-contained, discrete basic emotions; they are instead related to different components of diverse emotional episodes. Their communicative function is not semantic (e.g., a smile does not means happiness) but pragmatic (e.g., a smile prompts, on the receiver’s side, important inferences about the context and course of the interaction between sender and receiver).

scholarly journals Effects of being watched on eye gaze and facial displays of typical and autistic individuals during conversation

Autism ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 136236132095169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roser Cañigueral ◽  
Jamie A Ward ◽  
Antonia F de C Hamilton
Keyword(s):  
Facial Expressions ◽  
Eye Gaze ◽  
Video Camera ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Social Signals ◽  
Camera System ◽  
High Functioning ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Facial Displays ◽  
Video Camera System

Communication with others relies on coordinated exchanges of social signals, such as eye gaze and facial displays. However, this can only happen when partners are able to see each other. Although previous studies report that autistic individuals have difficulties in planning eye gaze and making facial displays during conversation, evidence from real-life dyadic tasks is scarce and mixed. Across two studies, here we investigate how eye gaze and facial displays of typical and high-functioning autistic individuals are modulated by the belief in being seen and potential to show true gaze direction. Participants were recorded with an eye-tracking and video-camera system while they completed a structured Q&A task with a confederate under three social contexts: pre-recorded video, video-call and face-to-face. Typical participants gazed less to the confederate and produced more facial displays when they were being watched and when they were speaking. Contrary to our hypotheses, eye gaze and facial motion patterns in autistic participants were overall similar to the typical group. This suggests that high-functioning autistic participants are able to use eye gaze and facial displays as social signals. Future studies will need to investigate to what extent this reflects spontaneous behaviour or the use of compensation strategies. Lay abstract When we are communicating with other people, we exchange a variety of social signals through eye gaze and facial expressions. However, coordinated exchanges of these social signals can only happen when people involved in the interaction are able to see each other. Although previous studies report that autistic individuals have difficulties in using eye gaze and facial expressions during social interactions, evidence from tasks that involve real face-to-face conversations is scarce and mixed. Here, we investigate how eye gaze and facial expressions of typical and high-functioning autistic individuals are modulated by the belief in being seen by another person, and by being in a face-to-face interaction. Participants were recorded with an eye-tracking and video-camera system while they completed a structured Q&A task with a confederate under three social contexts: pre-recorded video (no belief in being seen, no face-to-face), video-call (belief in being seen, no face-to-face) and face-to-face (belief in being seen and face-to-face). Typical participants gazed less to the confederate and made more facial expressions when they were being watched and when they were speaking. Contrary to our hypotheses, eye gaze and facial expression patterns in autistic participants were overall similar to the typical group. This suggests that high-functioning autistic participants are able to use eye gaze and facial expressions as social signals. Future studies will need to investigate to what extent this reflects spontaneous behaviour or the use of compensation strategies.

The Science of Facial Expression

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Facial Expression ◽  
Facial Expressions ◽  
Behavioral Ecology ◽  
Developmental Psychology ◽  
Appraisal Theory ◽  
Broad Perspective ◽  
Evolutionary Origins ◽  
Great Debate ◽  
Theory Versus ◽  
Many Sources

Organized in eleven thematic sections, The Science of Facial Expression offers a broad perspective of the “geography” of the science of facial expression. It reviews the scientific history of emotion perception and the evolutionary origins and functions of facial expression. It includes an updated compilation on the great debate around Basic Emotion Theory versus Behavioral Ecology and Psychological constructionism. The developmental psychology and social psychology of facial expressions is explored in the role of facial expressions in child development, social interactions, and culture. The book also covers appraisal theory, concepts, neural and behavioral processes, and lesser-known facial behaviors such as yawing, vocal crying, and vomiting. In addition, the book reflects that research on the “expression of emotion” is moving towards a significance of context in the production and interpretation of facial expression The authors expose various fundamental questions and controversies yet to be resolved, but in doing so, open many sources of inspiration to pursue in the scientific study of facial expression.

Ballistocardiographic Responses to Dynamic Facial Displays of Emotion While Sitting on the EMFi Chair

2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenni Anttonen ◽  
Veikko Surakka ◽  
Mikko Koivuluoma
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Facial Expressions ◽  
Emotional Responses ◽  
Emotional Valence ◽  
Subjective Responses ◽  
Dynamic Facial Expressions ◽  
Facial Displays ◽  
Valence And Arousal ◽  
Study Heart Rate ◽  
Neutral Expression

The aim of the present paper was to study heart rate changes during a video stimulation depicting two actors (male and female) producing dynamic facial expressions of happiness, sadness, and a neutral expression. We measured ballistocardiographic emotion-related heart rate responses with an unobtrusive measurement device called the EMFi chair. Ratings of subjective responses to the video stimuli were also collected. The results showed that the video stimuli evoked significantly different ratings of emotional valence and arousal. Heart rate decelerated in response to all stimuli and the deceleration was the strongest during negative stimulation. Furthermore, stimuli from the male actor evoked significantly larger arousal ratings and heart rate responses than the stimuli from the female actor. The results also showed differential responding between female and male participants. The present results support the hypothesis that heart rate decelerates in response to films depicting dynamic negative facial expressions. The present results also support the idea that the EMFi chair can be used to perceive emotional responses from people while they are interacting with technology.

The Emotional Experiences of Paralympic Swimming Medalists: Not All Wins and Losses Are Equal

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Martin
Keyword(s):  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Emotional Expressions ◽  
Basic Emotion ◽  
Emotional Experiences ◽  
Theoretical Support ◽  
Emotion Theory ◽  
World Ranking

The goal of this study was to determine if emotional expressions at the end of swimmers’ 2016 Paralympic races varied according to medal won and if their race wins and losses were close or not close. Using FaceReader software, videos of 46 races of medal-winning Paralympic (M age = 24.6; SD = 5.4) swimmers’ faces (78 males and 60 females) from 22 countries were analyzed. Silver medalists were angrier and sadder than gold medalists and angrier and more disgusted than bronze medalists. Swimmers who swam slower than their 2015 best time were angrier than Paralympians who swam faster. Paralympians who finished lower than their 2015 world ranking had more neutral emotions and were less happy than Paralympians who finished higher. Gold medalists who narrowly defeated silver medalists were less happy and more fearful than gold medalists who won easily. Bronze medalists with close wins had fewer neutral emotions and were happier, less angry, and more surprised than bronze medalists with not-close wins. All medalists with close wins were more surprised than medalists with easier wins. Bronze medalists with close losses to silver medalists were happier and less angry than bronze medalists who lost more easily. Effect sizes ranged from d = 0.27 to 1.01. These results provide theoretical support to basic emotion theory and confirm the anecdotal observations that Paralympic competition generates wide-ranging and diverse emotions.

Introduction to a Special Section on Basic Emotion Theory

2011 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 363-363 ◽  
Author(s):  
James A. Russell ◽  
Erika L. Rosenberg ◽  
Marc D. Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Special Section ◽  
Basic Emotion ◽  
Emotion Theory

The effects of alexithymia in the recognition of dynamic emotional faces

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S370-S371
Author(s):  
M. Rocha ◽  
S. Soares ◽  
S. Silva ◽  
N. Madeira ◽  
C. Silva
Keyword(s):  
Facial Expressions ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Dynamic Nature ◽  
Video Presentation ◽  
Emotional Faces ◽  
Facial Displays ◽  
The Face ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Competing Interest

IntroductionAlexithymia is a multifactorial personality trait observed in several mental disorders, especially those with poor social functioning. Although it has been proposed that difficulties in interpersonal interactions in highly alexithymic individuals may stem from their reduced ability to express and recognize facial expressions, this still remains controversial.AimIn everyday life, faces displaying emotions are dynamic, although most studies have relied on static stimuli. The aim of this study was to investigate whether individuals with high levels of alexithymia differed from a control group in the categorization of emotional faces presented in a dynamic way. Given the highly dynamic nature of facial displays in real life, we used morphed videos depicting faces varying 1% from neutral to angry, disgust or happy faces, with a video presentation of 35 seconds.MethodSixty participants (27 males and 33 females) were divided into high (HA) and low levels of alexithymia (LA) by using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). Participants were instructed to watch the face change from neutral to an emotion and to press a keyboard as soon as they could categorize an emotion expressed in the face.ResultsThe results revealed an interaction between alexithymia and emotion showing that HA, compared to LA, were more inaccurate at categorizing angry faces.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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