Motor-Incompatibility of Facial Reactions

Emotional cues facilitate motor responses that are associated with approach or avoidance. Previous research has shown that evaluative processing of positive and negative facial expression stimuli is also linked to motor schemata of facial muscles. To further investigate the influence of different types of emotional stimuli on facial reactions, we conducted a study with pictures of emotional facial expressions (KDEF) and scenes (IAPS). Healthy participants were asked to respond to the positive or negative facial expressions (KDEF) and scenes (IAPS) with specific facial muscles in a valence-congruent (stimulus valence matches muscle related valence) or a valence-incongruent condition (stimulus valence is contrary to muscle related valence). Additionally, they were asked to rate pictures in terms of valence and arousal. Muscular response latencies were recorded by an electromyogram. Overall, response latencies were shorter in response to facial expressions than to complex pictures of scenes. For both stimulus categories, response latencies with valence-compatible muscles were shorter compared to reactions with incompatible muscles. Moreover, correlations between picture ratings and facial muscle reactions for happy facial expressions as well as positive scenes reflect a direct relationship between perceived intensity of the subjective emotional experience and physiological responding. Results replicate and extend previous research, indicating that incompatibility effects are reliable across different stimulus types and are not limited to facial mimicry.

Facial Feedback Effects on Impression Formation

Two experiments were conducted to examine effects of facial expressions upon social cognitive processes in which the impression of another person is formed. In each experiment, 30 female college students were induced to display or conceal their facial reactions to a hypothetical target person whose behaviors were mildly hostile (Exp. 1) or mildly friendly (Exp. 2), or their facial expressions were not manipulated. Displaying the facial expressions shifted the impression into the congruent directions with hedonic values corresponding to the facial expressions. Concealing the facial expressions, however, did not influence impression formation. Also, the positive-negative asymmetry was observed in the facial feedback effects, that is, the negative facial expression had a stronger effect on social cognition than the positive one.