Unmasking the Face: A Guide to Recognizing Emotions From Facial Expressions

Ekman and Friesen’s breakthrough research on the facial expression of emotion is richly illustrated with photographs depicting surprise, fear, disgust, anger, happiness and sadness. The authors explain how to identify these basic emotions correctly and how to tell when people try to mask, simulate or neutralize them. The book features several practical exercises that can help actors, teachers, salesmen, counselors, nurses, law-enforcement personnel and physicians – and everyone else who deals with people – become adept, perceptive readers of the facial expressions of emotions.

Paul Ekman is Professor Emeritus of Psychology in the department of psychiatry at the University of California Medical School, San Francisco, and the author of 13 books. He is a frequent consultant on emotional expression to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Central Intelligence Agency and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as well as to animation studios such as Pixar and Industrial Light and Magic.