Forced facial expression – the effect of different emotions and temporal patterns

Abstract

In recent years, the importance of facial expression patterns has been recognized, e.g. in information society, neuroscience. In the present paper, forced facial expression patterns were studied by the means of the FaceReader 8.1 system. Human subjects were asked to mimic FEEST-related static facial expressions over 4 seconds each, and their expression was registered and analyzed. The temporal dynamics of a positive and negative valence expression, happiness and anger was analyzed, altogether with arousal data. General linear model was used to establish statistical differences. A significant interaction occurred between the content of input emotion (happiness/anger) and the temporal patterns (expressed anger, happiness, valence). The interaction was not significant in the case of the measured arousal. Our data indicate the importance of studying forced facial expression patterns in the interpretation of complex emotional stimuli.

In recent years, the importance of facial expression patterns has been recognized, e.g. in information society, neuroscience. In the present paper, forced facial expression patterns were studied by the means of the FaceReader 8.1 system. Human subjects were asked to mimic FEEST-related static facial expressions over 4 seconds each, and their expression was registered and analyzed. The temporal dynamics of a positive and negative valence expression, happiness and anger was analyzed, altogether with arousal data. General linear model was used to establish statistical differences. A significant interaction occurred between the content of input emotion (happiness/anger) and the temporal patterns (expressed anger, happiness, valence). The interaction was not significant in the case of the measured arousal. Our data indicate the importance of studying forced facial expression patterns in the interpretation of complex emotional stimuli.