Do facial expressions signal specific emotions ? : judging emotion from the face in context.

Author(s)
Carroll, J.M. & Russell, J.A.
Year
Abstract

Certain facial expressions have been theorized to be easily recognizable signals of specific emotions. If so, these expressions should override situationally based expectations used by a person in attributing an emotion to another. An alternative account is offered in which the face provides information relevant to emotion but does not signal a specific emotion. Therefore, in specified circumstances, situational rather than facial information was predicted to determine the judged emotion. This prediction was supported in 3 studies - indeed, in each of the 22 cases examined (e.g., a person in a frightening situation but displaying a reported "facial expression of anger" was judged as afraid). Situational information was especially influential when it suggested a nonbasic emotion (e.g., a person in a painful situation but displaying a "facial expression of fear" was judged as in pain). (A)

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Publication

Library number
C 6717 [electronic version only] /01 /
Source

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 70 (1996), No. 2 (February), p. 205-218, 45 ref.

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