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Six universal facial expressions

7/5/2011

4 Comments

 
I find the study of body language quite fascinating ... all part of my quest to learn how to communicate more effectively. Hope you enjoy this article.


The six universal facial expressions - recognized around the world

 It is now generally accepted that certain basic facial expressions of human emotion are recognized around the world - and that the use and recognition of these expressions is genetically inherited rather than socially conditioned or learned.

While there have been found to be minor variations and differences among obscurely isolated tribes-people, the following basic human emotions are generally used, recognized, and part of humankind's genetic character:

These emotional face expressions are:
  • Happiness
  • Sadness
  • Fear
  • Disgust
  • Surprise
  • Anger
Charles Darwin was first to make these claims in his book The Expressions of the Emotions in Man and Animals, published in 1872. This book incidentally initially far outsold The Origin of Species, such was its wide (and controversial) appeal at the time.

Darwin's assertions about genetically inherited facial expressions remained the subject of much debate for many years.

In the 1960s a Californian psychiatrist and expert in facial expressions, Paul Ekman, (with Sorenson and Friesen - see references) conducted and published extensive studies with people of various cultures to explore the validity of Darwin's theory - that certain facial expressions and man's ability to recognize them are inborn and universal among people. Ekman's work notably included isolated tribes-people who could not have been influenced by Western media and images, and essentially proved that Darwin was right - i.e., that the use and recognition of facial expressions to convey certain basic human emotions is part of human evolved nature, genetically inherited, and not dependent on social learning or conditioning.

4 Comments
Body Sculpting link
6/11/2012 03:08:29 pm

Excellent posts to read keep it up and keep going on this way. And keep sharing these types of things Thanks and I read your article and I keep reading your content.. It’s very interesting..

Reply
Wilna Beukes
6/12/2012 12:18:31 am

Thank you for your encouragement and support. It is great to hear from a reader!

Reply
Photofacial Austin link
8/13/2012 08:24:05 pm

Resources like the one you mentioned here will be very useful to me! I will post a link to this page on my blog. I am sure my visitors will find that very useful.

Reply
Wilna Beukes
8/13/2012 08:48:13 pm

Thank you for your interest and the link on your blog! Hope your readers find it as interesting as I did!

Reply



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