Effects of posed smiling on memory for happy and sad facial expressions

Abstract

The perception and storage of facial emotional expressions constitutes an important human skill that is essential for our daily social interactions. While previous research revealed that facial feedback can influence the perception of facial emotional expressions, it is unclear whether facial feedback also plays a role in memory processes of facial emotional expressions. In the present study we investigated the impact of facial feedback on the performance in emotional visual working memory (WM). For this purpose, 37 participants underwent a classical facial feedback manipulation (FFM) (holding a pen with the teeth—inducing a smiling expression vs. holding a pen with the non-dominant hand—as a control condition) while they performed a WM task on varying intensities of happy or sad facial expressions. Results show that the smiling manipulation improved memory performance selectively for happy faces, especially for highly ambiguous facial expressions. Furthermore, we found that in addition to an overall negative bias specifically for happy faces (i.e. happy faces are remembered as more negative than they initially were), FFM induced a positivity bias when memorizing emotional facial information (i.e. faces were remembered as being more positive than they actually were). Finally, our data demonstrate that men were affected more by FFM: during induced smiling men showed a larger positive bias than women did. These data demonstrate that facial feedback not only influences our perception but also systematically alters our memory of facial emotional expressions.

Zygomaticus activation through facial neuromuscular electric stimulation (fNMES) induces happiness perception in ambiguous facial expressions and affects neural correlates of face processing

“…Our main hypothesis was confirmed, as we demonstrated that by selectively engaging the ZM muscle through fNMES at stimulus onset, and for just 500ms, we can change the way people perceive facial expressionsmaking them see emotionally ambiguous faces as happy (or at least as more happy than sad). This is a uniquely novel result, which aligns with prior research demonstrating the impact of facial muscle activity on facial emotion perception (Achaibou et al, 2008;Korb et al, 2014;Kuehne et al, 2021;Sel et al, 2015). The effect size (ß = 0.09) of our facial feedback effect is small, as induction of a weak smile through fNMES leads to a 9% increase in the chance to categorise an ambiguous face as happy.…”

“…This has been supported by studies that activated or blocked facial muscles. For example, simulating a smile by holding a pen between the teeth can make people perceive happy faces and bodies faster (Marmolejo-Ramos et al, 2020), and improve working memory for ambiguous happy faces (Kuehne et al, 2021). Conversely, interfering with facial feedback by applying a hardening gel to the face reduces accuracy in matching emotional facial expressions, without affecting non-face control images (Wood, Lupyan, et al, 2016), and paralysing facial muscles with Botox injections make slightly emotional facial expressions appear less emotional, and slows down their recognition (Baumeister et al, 2016).…”

A Utilização da Imitação Facial em Tarefas de Reconhecimento de Expressões Emocionais

“…A teoria do feedback facial sustenta que os movimentos faciais podem servir como pistas para interpretar os estados emocionais, ou seja, a própria reação facial contribui para o reconhecimento de expressões faciais emotivas (Larsen, Kasimatis, & Frey, 1992;Marsh, Rhoads, & Ryan, 2019;Strack, Martin, & Stepper, 1988). O processo de interpretação dessas pistas pode ocorrer fora da consciência, de forma automática e rápida (Kuehne, Siwy, Zaehle, Heinze, & Lobmaier, 2019;Kuehne, Zaehle, & Lobmaier, 2021;Strack et al, 1988).…”

Research on image sentiment analysis technology based on sparse representation

“…As an important means of non-verbal communication, people can express their thoughts and feelings through facial expressions, and they can also understand the attitudes and inner world of others. Kuehne et al found that facial feedback not only influences perception but also systematically alters memory of the facial emotional expressions, which shows the importance of facial expressions in emotional expression [1]. In the application field of artificial intelligence and big data, the ability to have emotional computing is an important issue in the interaction between computers and humans.…”

“…Kuehne et al. found that facial feedback not only influences perception but also systematically alters memory of the facial emotional expressions, which shows the importance of facial expressions in emotional expression [1]. In the application field of artificial intelligence and big data, the ability to have emotional computing is an important issue in the interaction between computers and humans.…”