Facial Expression

and Gesture
Dr. Nancy Alvarado
Proximity
Closeness, orientation toward others,
motion, all communicate social
information.
Even geometric objects look social when
they behave socially (e.g., cartoons).
Autistic children and adults lack this
information, with consequent social deficits
https://info.med.yale.edu/chldstdy/neuroimg/sat_movies.htm
In Group/Out Group
Knowledge of proper gesture and
proxemics signals inclusion in a social
group.
Cross-cultural differences produce a
feeling of discomfort
Abnormal behavior also produces
discomfort and exclusion.
Universals vs Culture
Gestures vary widely across cultures, with
unfortunate consequences.
Bushs satanic gesture
Certain facial expressions seem to be
universal cross-culturally:
Smiles
Ekman & Friesens basic emotions
Evolution and Expression
Darwins theory of emotional expression.
Dogs and other species with dominance
hierarchy use displays of aggression.
Dominance displays are different than
predatory or survival-related displays.
Dogs
Primates
Encoding vs Decoding
A display tends to evolve along with the
ability to interpret or understand that
display.
Signals of danger are useless without the
ability to know what they mean.
Decoding and attribution are not the same
thing.
Reading Body Language
Faces are not readouts of emotion or any
other internal state.
People can control their expression.
People can portray false expressions.
Deception protects internal privacy in a
social world.
Deception makes social interaction
smoother.
Nurses Study
Each trial includes:
One person looking at a gross amputation film
but lying about it.
One person looking at pretty scenery and
telling the truth about it.
Your job is to tell which is which.
For each segment indicate T or F (if lying).
Most People Cant Catch a Lie
The cues that signal lying are not those
people think go with lying.
They are NOT:
Shifty
eyes (averted gaze)
Nervousness or hesitation

Look for inconsistencies, thinking where

no thought is required, micro-expressions.
Expression Varies Across Cultures

How much expression is considered

appropriate varies:
By sex (females more, males less)
By social class (Woloff griots, Italian
professional mourners, upper vs lower class
British and American)
By culture (Japanese forms of address, hot-
headed Latin cultures)
Expression and Collectivism
Homogeneous, high-density, collectivist
cultures emphasize social cohesion.
Conformityis rewarded
Shame is expressed
Heterogeneous, competitive, individualist
cultures emphasize individuality.
Expressivity is rewarded
Guilt is expressed (personal responsibility)
How Expression Regulates Affect

Emotion is contagious
Depressed people feel better, non-depressed
feel worse after an interaction.
Expression affects internal subjective
experience facial feedback.
Smile in order to feel better.
Venting intensifies, not decreases affect.