Facial expression

The facial expression is an important aspect of the Comportement and not-verbal Communication.

Already studied by Darwin and Duchenne of Boulogne at the 19th century, the facial expression exploited an important role in research the emotions since work of Sylvan Tomkins in the years 1960. Its pupils Paul Ekman and Caroll Izard defended the idea of a number limited of basic emotions with which are associated automatic facial expressions, universal and innate.

The facial expression plays also a big role in the sign language. It is with him only a means of expression.

Precursors

The smile of Duchenne

During second half of the 19th century, the neurologist Duchenne of Boulogne carries out a series of experiments on the facial expression of the emotion. He uses the photography and the electric stimulation of the muscles of the face to highlight the movements associated with the expression with the emotions. He notices in particular that the smiles expressing a sincere joy are different from the voluntary smiles by the contraction of orbicularis oculi , a muscle located around the eyes.

The research undertaken in the years 1980 by Paul Ekman and his team made it possible to confirm and supplement these results. Ekman highlighted the fact that we are for the majority unable to voluntarily contract orbicularis oculi and that those which can it generally do not manage to contract this muscle on each side at the same time. Moreover, the smiles of Duchenne are generally associated with an asymmetrical activity in the frontal Lobe, considered as a sign of positive affect.

Ekman proposed to baptize “to smile of Duchenne” ( Duchenne spalls ) this type of smiles.

Additional details

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