A few videos about microexpressions

Dr. David Matsumoto, microexpression reading expert.

Another video about Dr. Matsumoto.

Nonverbal communication tools, Facial expressions.

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.

The Face of Sadness

Sadness is the complete polar opposite of happiness. It is characterized by feeling of loss, helplessness, sorrow, and rage. It also can make people outspoken, less energetic and prone to emotional outbursts. While sadness can be felt all on it's own, it is often accompanied by other emotions as well.

In a sadness facial expression, the upper eyelids and the outer edges of the eyebrows will droop. The person experiencing sadness will also appear to have little focus in their eyes, and the corners of the lips will be slightly pulled down. Even when somebody is sad, they may pretend to be happy, but the face gives it all away.

The Face of Happiness

Happiness, like fear, is something that is universal among human emotions without a doubt. To try and describe happiness brings about many images and things that produce positive feelings. In a sense, happiness describes itself, and is almost innately known. When one is happy, there are many physiological effects. Neurotransmitters flood the brain, including endorphins, which promote a feeling of well-being.

The facial expression for happiness is, of course, a smile. Although, there are circumstances where an individual may be pretending to be happy, the tell tale sign of true happiness are crows-feet that appear at the corner of the eyes. The above picture illustrates this quite well.

The Face of Fear

Fear is something that we have all felt at one time or another in our lives. It is a basic survival mechanism that is in response to a certain kind of stimuli, such as pain or the threat of danger. If you were to see somebody that has a look on their face similar to the one in the picture, the first thing that may cross your mind is "What are they afraid of?" Fear also has many physical side effects including rise in blood pressure and heart rate, a tightening of the muscles, sharpened senses, and dilation of the pupils, to allow more light in.

The fear facial expression is more of a tightening of all the muscles of the face rather than just a few of them. It includes the lips stretching horizontally, lower eyelids are tensed and the upper eyelids are raised. The eyebrows will also be raised and pushed together.

The Face of Disgust

Disgust is usually associated with things that are offensive, but not in the same way when something angers an individual. It usually arises when something is unclean, inedible, or infectious. There are many levels to disgust, ranging from physical to moral. Primarily, disgust is experienced physically by taste, and secondarily by smell, touch, and vision. It is also associated with a decrease in heart rate. There is a difference between physical and moral disgust, in that physical disgust is more universally grounded than moral disgust.

The facial expression for disgust, be it physical or moral, is characterized by a raising of the upper lip and a wrinkling of the nose.

The Face of Contempt

Contempt is a complicated and debated emotion. It's not complicated as far as the meaning of the emotion itself, which is an intense feeling or attitude of regarding someone or something as inferior, base, or worthless. What makes it complicated and debated is whether it is a primary emotion or not. In a study conducted in 1986, a survey of ten cultures, both western and non western, correctly identified contempt among other emotions. There have been claims that contempt is not a primary emotion, but rather a mixture of anger and disgust.

The facial microexpression for contempt is what you could call a sneer. The chin raised, the corner of the lip on one side of the face is tightened and slightly raised. Because this happens on one side of the face, this is referred to as a unilateral facial expression. Sometimes a smile can accompany the expression, signaling a sign of enjoyment.

The Face of Anger

Anger is an emotion that is produced in an individual when that individual has perceived that they have been offended or wronged, and want to undo that wrongdoing by retaliation. It can be powerful in the way it affects us, both mentally and physically. It can cloud judgment, and may increase heart rate and blood pressure.

In a facial microexpression, anger is shown by the lips being narrowed and pressed together tightly, eyebrows slanting down and towards the nose, and the subject will glare intensely. The face flushes, nostrils flare, and the jaw clenches. This kind of facial expression can be observed in toddlers.

Introduction to microexpressions

One can usually look at a person and tell what that person is feeling in a general sense. You come across your friend and they have a look on their face that says they had a bad day, or maybe they are smiling and even before they've told you what event transpired, you know that it was good. They are expressing their emotional state through the contractions of their facial muscles. As with all forms of communication, the meanings in these expressions can, and will, vary depending on the observers frames of reference and conceptual filters.

Microexpressions are brief involuntary facial expressions lasting anywhere from 1/25 of a second to a full second. They also are difficult to fake. Microexpressions express seven universal emotions, disgust, anger, fear, sadness, happiness, surprise, and contempt. These will be discussed in the following posts in detail.