The Psychology of Facial Expression (Studies in Emotion and Social Interaction) - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0521496675 ISBN 13: 9780521496674

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 1997

Synopsis

This reference work provides broad and up-to-date coverage of the major perspectives--ethological, neurobehavioral, developmental, dynamic systems, and componential--on facial expression. The text reviews Darwin's legacy in the context of Izard and Tomkins' new theories as well as Fridlund's recently proposed Behavioural Ecology theory. Other contributions explore continuing controversies on universality and innateness, and update the research guidelines of Ekman, Friesen and Ellsworth. This book anticipates emerging research questions, such as the role of culture in children's understanding of faces, the precise ways faces depend on the immediate context, and the ecology of facial expression. The Psychology of Facial Expression is aimed at students, researchers, and educators in psychology, anthropology, and sociology who are interested in the emotive and communicative uses of facial expression.

About this title

Book Description:

What do facial expressions express? Simply emotions? Current scientific work suggests that there are hidden social messages in human facial expressions, that thoughts too can be revealed, that context can determine whether any expression occurs, and that reading emotions from faces is not as simple, universal, and accurate as it appears. This book summarizes and critiques current research and provides guidelines for future research on facial expressions. It provides a broad overview of the field, reviewing a range of theories and perspectives.

Review:

'... opens new ways of looking at the biology and development of facial expression with a strong emphasis on the social function of expressive movements. In the process, much work is being done to loosen a strong association between expression and emotion. Such a step can only be helpful toward understanding what a realistic account of the relation between emotion and facial expression might be, and how best to analyze that most expressive of human characteristics - the face.' George Mandler, from the Foreword

'... a unique and fascinating discussion ... this book is not just a summary of past research ... Rather it provides a place from which to begin future research. For my own part, after reading this book I can hardly wait to get started'. Nicholas A. Troop, Behaviour Research and Therapy

About this edition

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0521496675
• ISBN 13: 9780521496674
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 415
• Editor: Russell James A., Fernández-Dols José Miguel