The Face of Surprise

SURPRISE!!!! Although not as effective in the printed word, if I were to shout this at the top of my lungs, it would come as, well, a surprise. Surprise can be classified as pleasant, neutral, or unpleasant, and is the quickest emotion felt, expressing itself for a fraction of a second, usually followed by another emotion immediately after. When a person experiences a very powerful or prolonged surprise, it can be considered shock. Surprise can also be useful if you are trying to catch somebody in a lie. If you accuse an individual of something, and they register surprise, they may have not committed the act they are accused of. Surprise is easy to fake, however, but it is also easy to spot when faked.

In a surprised facial expression, the eyes widen, eyebrows raise, and the mouth may open slightly. If the surprise is true surprise, then the eyebrows will be raised for less than a second. if they stay raised, the surprise is faked.