title: Three-year-olds' rapid facial electromyographic responses to emotional facial expressions and body postures.
abstract: Rapid facial reactions (RFRs) to observed emotional expressions are proposed to be involved in a wide array of socioemotional skills, from empathy to social communication. Two of the most persuasive theoretical accounts propose RFRs to rely either on motor resonance mechanisms or on more complex mechanisms involving affective processes. Previous studies demonstrated that presentation of facial and bodily expressions can generate rapid changes in adult and school-age children's muscle activity. However, to date there is little to no evidence to suggest the existence of emotional RFRs from infancy to preschool age. To investigate whether RFRs are driven by motor mimicry or could also be a result of emotional appraisal processes, we recorded facial electromyographic (EMG) activation from the zygomaticus major and frontalis medialis muscles to presentation of static facial and bodily expressions of emotions (i.e., happiness, anger, fear, and neutral) in 3-year-old children. Results showed no specific EMG activation in response to bodily emotion expressions. However, observing others' happy faces led to increased activation of the zygomaticus major and decreased activation of the frontalis medialis, whereas observing others' angry faces elicited the opposite pattern of activation. This study suggests that RFRs are the result of complex mechanisms in which both affective processes and motor resonance may play an important role.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Lancaster University, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4YF, UK. Electronic address: e.geangu@lancaster.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Geangu
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milano, Italy; NeuroMI, Milan Center for Neuroscience, 20126 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Ermanno
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Quadrelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milano, Italy; NeuroMI, Milan Center for Neuroscience, 20126 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Conte
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Croci
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milano, Italy; NeuroMI, Milan Center for Neuroscience, 20126 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Turati
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D004576:Electromyography / Q000379:methods*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005149:Facial Expression; D005152:Facial Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007100:Imitative Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009633:Nonverbal Communication / Q000502:physiology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Body postures; Children; EMG; Emotion; Faces; Rapid facial responses