Facial expressions and personality: a kinematical investigation during an emotion induction experiment.
OBJECTIVE
In order to elucidate the relationship between personality traits and expression of positive emotions in healthy volunteers, standardized personality inventories and kinematical analysis of facial expressions can be helpful and were applied in the present study.


METHODS
Markers fixed at distinct points of the face emitting ultrasonic signals at high frequency gave a direct measure of facial movements with high spatial-temporal resolution. Forty-six healthy participants (mean age: 40.7 years; 20 males, 26 females) watching a witty movie ("Mr. Bean") were investigated.


RESULTS
Speed of "laughing" was associated with higher scores on Zuckerman's Sensation Seeking Scale and NEO-FFI (Openness to Experience).


CONCLUSIONS
Kinematical analysis of facial expressions seems to reflect sensation seeking and related personality styles. Higher speed of facial movements in sensation seekers suggests lowered serotonergic function.
Mergl
Roland
R
Department of Psychiatry, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Nussbaumstrasse 7, DE-80336 Munich, Germany. Roland.Mergl@med.uni-muenchen.de
Vogel
Michael
M
Prässl
Anuschka
A
Graf
Birgit
B
Karner
Max
M
Mavrogiorgou
Paraskevi
P
Hegerl
Ulrich
U
Juckel
Georg
G
D000328:Adult; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D019260:Expressed Emotion / Q000502:physiology*; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012737:Sex Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric