THE EXPRESSION OF EMOTIONS
Joy and sadness are experienced by people in all cultures around the world, but how can we tell when other people are happy or despondent? It turns out that the expression of many emotions may be universal. Smiling is apparently a universal sign of friendliness and approval. Baring the teeth in a hostile way, as noted by Charles Darwin in the nineteenth century, may be a universal sign of anger. As the origina¬tor of the theory of evolution, Darwin believed that the universal recognition of facial expressions would have survival value. For example, facial expressions could signal the approach of enemies (or friends) in the absence of language.
Most investigators concur that certain facial expressions suggest the same emo¬tions in all people. Moreover, people in diverse cultures recognize the emotions mani¬fested by the facial expressions. In classic research Paul Ekman took photographs of people exhibiting the emotions of anger, disgust, fear, happiness, and sadness. He then asked people around the world to indicate what emotions were being depicted in them. Those queried ranged from European college students to members of the Fore, a tribe that dwells in the New Guinea highlands. All groups, including the Fore, who had almost no contact with Western culture, agreed on the portrayed emotions. The Fore also displayed familiar facial expressions when asked how they would respond if they were the characters in stories that called for basic emotional responses. Ekman and his colleagues more recently obtained similar results in a study of ten cultures in which participants were permitted to report that multiple emotions were shown by facial expressions. The participants generally agreed on which two emotions were being shown and which emotion was more intense.
Psychological researchers generally recognize that facial expressions reflect emo¬tional states. In fact, various emotional states give rise to certain patterns of electrical activity in the facial muscles and in the brain. The facial-feedback hypothesis argues, however, that the causal relationship between emotions and facial expressions can also work in the opposite direction. According to this hypothesis, signals from the facial muscles ( feedback”) are sent back to emotion centers of the brain, and so a person’s facial expression can influence that person’s emotional state. Consider Dar¬win’s words: “The free expression by outward signs of an emotion intensifies it. On the other hand, the repression, as far as possible, of all outward signs softens our emotions.” Can smiling give rise to feelings of goodwill, for example, and frowning to anger?
Psychological research has given rise to some interesting findings concerning the facial-feedback hypothesis. Causing participants in experiments to smile, for example, leads them to report more positive feelings and to rate cartoons (humorous drawings of people or situations) as being more humorous. When they are caused to frown, they rate cartoons as being more aggressive.
What are the possible links between facial expressions and emotion? One link is arousal, which is the level of activity or preparedness for activity in an organism. Intense contraction of facial muscles, such as those used in signifying fear, heightens arousal. Self-perception of heightened arousal then leads to heightened emotional activity. Other links may involve changes in brain temperature and the release of neu¬rotransmitters (substances that transmit nerve impulses). The contraction of facial muscles both influences the internal emotional state and reflects it. Ekman has found that the so-called Duchenne smile, which is characterized by “crow’s-feet” wrinkles around the eyes and a subtle drop in the eye cover fold so that the skin above the eye moves down slightly toward the eyeball, can lead to pleasant feelings.
Ekman’s observation may be relevant to the British expression “keep a stiff upper lip”1 as a recommendation for handling stress. It might be that a “stiff lip suppresses emotional response—as long as the lip is not quivering with fear or tension. But when the emotion that leads to stiffening the lip is more intense, and involves strong mus¬cle tension, facial feedback may heighten emotional response.
1. “Keep a stiff upper lip”: Avoid showing emotions in difficult situations
Joy and sadness are experienced by people in all cultures around the world, but how can we tell when other people are happy or despondent? It turns out that the expres¬sion of many emotions may be universal. Smiling is apparently a universal sign of friendliness and approval. Baring the teeth in a hostile way, as noted by Charles Darwin in the nineteenth century, may be a universal sign of anger. As the originator of the theory of evolution, Darwin believed that the universal recognition of facial expres¬sions would have survival value. For example, facial expressions could signal the approach of enemies (or friends) in the absence of language.
Directions: Mark your answer by filling in the oval next to your choice.
1. The word “despondent” in the passage is closest in meaning to
O curious
O unhappy
O thoughtful
O uncertain
2. The author mentions “Baring the teeth in a hostile way” in order to
O differentiate one possible meaning of a particular facial expression from other meanings of it
O support Darwin’s theory of evolution
O provide an example of a facial expression whose meaning is widely understood
O contrast a facial expression that is easily understood with other facial expressions
Most investigators concur that certain facial expressions suggest the same emotions in all people. Moreover, people in diverse cultures recognize the emotions manifested by the facial expressions. In classic research Paul Ekman took photographs of people exhibiting the emotions of anger, disgust, fear, happiness, and sadness. He then asked A people around the world to indicate what emotions were being depicted in them. Those queried ranged from European college students to members of the Fore, a tribe that dwells in the New Guinea highlands. All groups, including the Fore, who had A almost no contact with Western culture, agreed on the portrayed emotions. The Fore also displayed familiar facial expressions when asked how they would respond if they were the characters in stories that called for basic emotional responses. Ekman and his colleagues more recently obtained similar results in a study often cultures in which participants were permitted to report that multiple emotions were shown by facial expressions. The participants generally agreed on which two emotions were being shown and which emotion was more intense.
3. The word “concur” in the passage is closest in meaning to
O estimate
O agree
O expect
O understand
4. The word “them” in the passage refers to
O emotions
O people
O photographs
O cultures
5. According to paragraph 2, which of the following was true of the Fore people of New Guinea?
O They did not want to be shown photographs.
O They were famous for their storytelling skills.
O They knew very little about Western culture.
O They did not encourage the expression of emotions.
6. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
O The Fore’s facial expressions indicated their unwillingness to pretend to be story characters.
O The Fore were asked to display familiar facial expressions when they told their stories.
O The Fore exhibited the same relationship of facial expressions and basic emotions that is seen in Western culture when they acted out stories.
O The Fore were familiar with the facial expressions and basic emotions of characters in stories.
Psychological researchers generally recognize that facial expressions reflect emotional states. In fact, various emotional states give rise to certain patterns of electrical activity in the facial muscles and in the brain. The facial-feedback hypothesis argues, however, that the causal relationship between emotions and facial expressions can also work in the opposite direction. According to this hypothesis, signals from the facial muscles (“feedback”) are sent back to emotion centers of the brain, and so a person’s facial expression can influence that person’s emotional state. Consider Dar¬win’s words: “The free expression by outward signs of an emotion intensifies it. On the other hand, the repression, as far as possible, of all outward signs softens our emotions.” Can smiling give rise to feelings of goodwill, for example, and frowning to anger?
7. According to the passage, what did Darwin believe would happen to human emotions that were not expressed?
O They would become less intense.
O They would last longer than usual.
O They would cause problems later.
O They would become more negative.
Psychological research has given rise to some interesting findings concerning the facial-feedback hypothesis. Causing participants in experiments to smile, for example, leads them to report more positive feelings and to rate cartoons (humorous drawings of people or situations) as being more humorous. When they are caused to frown, they rate cartoons as being more aggressive.
8. According to the passage, research involving which of the following supported the “facial-feedback hypothesis”?
O The reactions of people in experiments to cartoons
O The tendency of people in experiments to cooperate
O The release of neurotransmitters by people during experiments
O The long-term effects of repressing emotions
9. The word “rate” in the passage is closest in meaning to
O judge
O reject
O draw
O want
Ekman’s observation may be relevant to the British expression “keep a stiff upper lip” as a recommendation for handling stress. It might be that a “stiff” lip suppresses emotional response—as long as the lip is not quivering with fear or tension. But when the emotion that leads to stiffening the lip is more intense, and involves strong mus¬cle tension, facial feedback may heighten emotional response.
10. The word “relevant” in the passage is closest in meaning to
O contradictory
O confusing
O dependent
O applicable
11. According to the passage, stiffening the upper lip may have which of the following effects?
O It first suppresses stress, then intensifies it.
O It may cause fear and tension in those who see it.
O It can damage the lip muscles.
O It may either heighten or reduce emotional response.
■ Most investigators concur that certain facial expressions suggest the same emo¬tions in all people. ■ Moreover, people in diverse cultures recognize the emotions manifested by the facial expressions. ■ In classic research Paul Ekman took photo¬graphs of people exhibiting the emotions of anger, disgust, fear, happiness, and sad¬ness. ■ He then asked people around the world to indicate what emotions were being depicted in them. Those queried ranged from European college students to members of the Fore, a tribe that dwells in the New Guinea highlands. All groups, including the Fore, who had almost no contact with Western culture, agreed on the portrayed emotions. The Fore also displayed familiar facial expressions when asked how they 2 would respond if they were the characters in stories that called for basic emotional responses. Ekman and his colleagues more recently obtained similar results in a study of ten cultures in which participants were permitted to report that multiple emotions were shown by facial expressions. The participants generally agreed on which two emotions were being shown and which emotion was more intense.
12. Look at the four squares [■] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.
This universality in the recognition of emotions was demonstrated by using rather simple methods.
Where would the sentence best fit?
O This universality in the recognition of emotions was demonstrated by using rather simple methods. Most investigators concur that certain facial expres¬sions suggest the same emotions in all people. ■ Moreover, people in diverse cultures recognize the emotions manifested by the facial expressions. ■ In classic research Paul Ekman took photographs of people exhibiting the emotions of anger, disgust, fear, happiness, and sadness. ■ He then asked people around the world to indicate what emotions were being depicted in them. Those que¬ried ranged from European college students to members of the Fore, a tribe that dwells in the New Guinea highlands. All groups, including the Fore, who had almost no contact with Western culture, agreed on the portrayed emotions. The Fore also displayed familiar facial expressions when asked how they would respond if they were the characters in stories that called for basic emotional responses. Ekman and his colleagues more recently obtained similar results in a study of ten cultures in which participants were permitted to report that multiple emotions were shown by facial expressions. The participants generally agreed on which two emotions were being shown and which emotion was more intense.
O ■ Most investigators concur that certain facial expressions suggest the same emotions in all people. This universality in the recognition of emotions was demonstrated by using rather simple methods. Moreover, people in diverse cultures recognize the emotions manifested by the facial expressions. ■ In clas¬sic research Paul Ekman took photographs of people exhibiting the emotions of anger, disgust, fear, happiness, and sadness. ■ He then asked people around the world to indicate what emotions were being depicted in them. Those que¬ried ranged from European college students to members of the Fore, a tribe that dwells in the New Guinea highlands. All groups, including the Fore, who had almost no contact with Western culture, agreed on the portrayed emotions. The Fore also displayed familiar facial expressions when asked how they would respond if they were the characters in stories that called for basic emotional responses. Ekman and his colleagues more recently obtained similar results in a study of ten cultures in which participants were permitted to report that multiple emotions were shown by facial expressions. The participants generally agreed on which two emotions were being shown and which emotion was more intense
O ■ Most investigators concur that certain facial expressions suggest the same emotions in all people. ■ Moreover, people in diverse cultures recognize the emotions manifested by the facial expressions. This universality in the recogni¬tion of emotions was demonstrated by using rather simple methods. In classic research Paul Ekman took photographs of people exhibiting the emotions of anger, disgust, fear, happiness, and sadness. ■ He then asked people around the world to indicate what emotions were being depicted in them. Those que-ried ranged from European college students to members of the Fore, a tribe that dwells in the New Guinea highlands. All groups, including the Fore, who had almost no contact with Western culture, agreed on the portrayed emotions. The Fore also displayed familiar facial expressions when asked how they would respond if they were the characters in stories that called for basic emotional responses. Ekman and his colleagues more recently obtained similar results in a study of ten cultures in which participants were permitted to report that multiple
emotions were shown by facial expressions. The participants generally agreed on which two emotions were being shown and which emotion was more intense.
O ■ Most investigators concur that certain facial expressions suggest the same emotions in all people. ■ Moreover, people in diverse cultures recognize the emotions manifested by the facial expressions. ■ In classic research Paul Ekman took photographs of people exhibiting the emotions of anger, disgust, fear, happiness, and sadness. This universality in the recognition of emotions was demonstrated by using rather simple methods. He then asked people around the world to indicate what emotions were being depicted in them. Those que¬ried ranged from European college students to members of the Fore, a tribe that dwells in the New Guinea highlands. All groups, including the Fore, who had almost no contact with Western culture, agreed on the portrayed emotions.
The Fore also displayed familiar facial expressions when asked how they would respond if they were the characters in stories that called for basic emotional responses. Ekman and his colleagues more recently obtained similar results in a study of ten cultures in which participants were permitted to report that multiple emotions were shown by facial expressions. The participants generally agreed on which two emotions were being shown and which emotion was more intense.
13. Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is pro¬vided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.
Psychological research seems to confirm that people associate particular facial expressions with the same emotions across cultures.
Answer Choices
1. Artificially producing the Duchenne smile can cause a person to have pleasant feelings.
2. Facial expressions and emotional states interact with each other through a variety of feedback mechanisms.
3. People commonly believe that they can control their facial expressions so that their true emotions remain hidden.
4. A person’s facial expression may reflect the person’s emotional state.
5. Ekman argued that the ability to accurately recognize the emotional content of facial expressions was valuable for human beings.
6. Facial expressions that occur as a result of an individual’s emotional state may themselves feed back information that influences the person’s emotions.