Co-acting strangers but not friends influence subjective liking and facial affective responses to food stimuli

Facial EMG Activity Is Associated with Hedonic Experiences but Not Nutritional Values While Viewing Food Images

“…These results corroborate prior findings reporting positive associations between subjective valence/liking ratings and zygomatic major EMG activity in response to food images [ 6 , 7 ]. Our study did not show any evident association between hedonic ratings and corrugator supercilii EMG activity, which is inconsistent with previous studies [ 6 , 7 , 8 ]. These discrepant findings may be due to methodological differences across studies.…”

“…A few previous studies have reported that facial electromyography (EMG) signals were associated with subjective hedonic ratings while viewing food images [ 6 , 7 , 8 ]. Specifically, Greenwald et al [ 6 ] assessed ratings of valence and arousal (i.e., the quality and intensity of emotional experience, respectively) and measured facial EMG of the corrugator supercilii muscle (related to frowning) and the zygomatic major muscle (related to smiling) while participants observed multiple images, including a food image.…”

“…The valence ratings were negatively and positively associated with corrugator supercilii and zygomatic major EMG activity, respectively. Nath et al [ 7 , 8 ] also measured facial EMG signals from these and additional muscles and assessed liking ratings while participants viewed several different food images. The liking ratings were negatively and positively associated with EMG activity of the corrugator supercilii [ 7 , 8 ] and zygomatic major muscles [ 7 ], respectively.…”

“…Nath et al [ 7 , 8 ] also measured facial EMG signals from these and additional muscles and assessed liking ratings while participants viewed several different food images. The liking ratings were negatively and positively associated with EMG activity of the corrugator supercilii [ 7 , 8 ] and zygomatic major muscles [ 7 ], respectively. Corroborating these data, other studies recorded EMG from these facial muscles while participants consumed liquid [ 9 , 10 , 11 ] or solid [ 12 ] food and showed similar associations between hedonic ratings, such as liking, wanting, and valence, and facial EMG activity of these muscles.…”

Exploring Emotions as a New Quality Parameter in Wine

“…The facial action coding system, first proposed by Ekman and Friesen (Ekman & Friesen, 1978), correlates specific facial muscle activity with discrete emotions. Within this framework, the corrugator supercilii (above the eye, associated with frowning) and zygomaticus major muscles (in the cheek, associated with smiling) have been used to evaluate the emotional impact of sensory stimuli (Bailey, 2016;Delplanque et al, 2009;Nath et al, 2020;Neta et al, 2009;Sato et al, 2021;Van Boxtel, 2010). For example, corrugator supercilii muscle activity is associated with emotions of fear, anger, sadness, and disgust (Van Boxtel, 2010;Wolf et al, 2005).…”