title: Do facial expressions signal specific emotions? Judging emotion from the face in context.
abstract: Certain facial expressions have been theorized to be easily recognizable signals of specific emotions. If so, these expressions should override situationally based expectations used by a person in attributing an emotion to another. An alternative account is offered in which the face provides information relevant to emotion but does not signal a specific emotion. Therefore, in specified circumstances, situational rather than facial information was predicted to determine the judged emotion. This prediction was supported in 3 studies--indeed, in each of the 22 cases examined (e.g., a person in a frightening situation but displaying a reported "facial expression of anger" was judged as afraid). Situational information was especially influential when it suggested a nonbasic emotion (e.g., a person in a painful situation but displaying a "facial expression of fear" was judged as in pain).
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Carroll
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Russell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal; D001288:Attention; D004644:Emotions; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D012938:Social Perception