title: Do proposed facial expressions of contempt, shame, embarrassment, and compassion communicate the predicted emotion?
abstract: Shame, embarrassment, compassion, and contempt have been considered candidates for the status of basic emotions on the grounds that each has a recognisable facial expression. In two studies (N=88, N=60) on recognition of these four facial expressions, observers showed moderate agreement on the predicted emotion when assessed with forced choice (58%; 42%), but low agreement when assessed with free labelling (18%; 16%). Thus, even though some observers endorsed the predicted emotion when it was presented in a list, over 80% spontaneously interpreted these faces in a way other than the predicted emotion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA. widensh@bc.edu
authors.forename: Sherri C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Widen
authors.forename: Anita M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Christy
authors.forename: Kristen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hewett
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Russell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002755:Choice Behavior; D004644:Emotions; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D014796:Visual Perception