|
EMOTIONS
( Ekman's universal emotions: Sadness, Anger, Joy, Fear
( Other emotions: Confusion, Amusement, Doubt, Love
( Three distracter emotions: Morose/Moody, Titillation/Arousal, Disbelief
SUBJECTS
( Judges: 1- Jessica, 2- Shadeax, 3- Don, 4- Francis, 5- Fariba
( Models: 1 - Liley, 2- Kelsi, 3- Elton
HYPOTHESIS
My Hypothesis:
-Can people be correctly judged by their facial expressions?
Other questions to answer:
-Can people guess if a person is an introvert or an extrovert based on their
facial expressions?
-Is a male or female easier to read based on facial expressions?
-Does a male or female do a better job at judging emotions based on facial
expressions?
-Do people judge facial expressions just as accurately at first sight as
opposed to taking the time to see?
-Are universal emotions easier to read than any other non-universal emotions?
Paul Ekman named six facial expressions that are basically universal in
expressing emotion. From the figure on page 401 of our text, we can test
our accuracy of reading others emotion based on given facial expressions.
I am very interested in this experiment from countless times of people trying
to read my facial expressions and the results of accuracy being extremely
varied. I have been read very accurately at times and extremely inaccurate
at others My interest has been put into test. I want to see, from this small
experiment, just how accurate it is to read people's emotions based solely
on their facial expressions. I believe that the higher percentage will be
correct in judging the emotions.
I have taken pictures of two volunteers with certain captured emotional
expressions. I will then have five other volunteers judge the expressions.
I will record their observations and the accuracy of the guesses. The volunteers
who will be doing the judging will be diverse in culture and gender. I have
chosen these emotions: Sadness, Anger, Joy, Fear, Confusion, Amusement, Doubt,
and Love. The first four are from Ekman's experiment and the last four are
of my own choice. I can only work with these emotions for this experiment,
but if this were to become a more involved investigation, I would include
more emotions and more subjects for both the models and judges. These emotions
are the more simple and basically straightforward types. I believe that they
will be easily read. I see an 80% or higher correct result from this experiment.
Can people be correctly judged by their facial expressions? This is my
hypothesis, This is what I seek to find out. I do not believe that people
can correctly judge others emotions based upon their facial expressions.
The universal emotions cannot be correctly guessed also, I believe, because
there are too many similar facial expressions that show different emotions.
One may argue that one emotion is the same as another, (ex: joy-amusement),
but these are actually different, varied emotions (As in shades of the same
color). I believe that people should not judge others emotions, thoughts,
and feelings based solely on their facial expressions. My conclusion should
show this. I believe that if one takes the time to understand someone and
what their expressions are, then they can more accurately understand their
emotions based on facial expressions.
Project experiment operations procedure
I took pictures of two people who I believed had great facial expressions.
I had some extra pictures left and in case one of the models did not do a
good job in showing the emotions, I used one more model. I chose myself as
the third model because people have judged me for years based upon my facial
expressions. This is also the reason why I was interested in this experiment
I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to put their judgement to
the test.
I ended up using all three models. I picked five people who I believed thought
they were mostly correct in judging others expressions. I did two experiments.
An initial reaction test to see how well people judge in quick view situations
(ex: walking through a
mall and seeing someone's expression) and a contemplated thinking test to
see how well people judge when they can take their time with the person.
I first flashed each picture to one judge at a time and recorded their initial
reaction. I then had them take their time and label each picture with a list
of emotions. I included three distracter emotions to help throw off the judgment.
I recorded these results as well. Last, I had each judge fill out a small
question sheet.
After each judge was tested, I had them answer a few questions regarding
how they analyzed and what features they used to guess the emotions. these
questions are as follows with conclusions analyzed from my results.
-How did you analyze the expressions? (did you look at the eyes, mouth?)
The predominate variables that helped each judge guess were the eyes and
mouth.
-What outside factors might have influenced you in your judgment of the emotions?
(Age, Gender, Culture of model)
Other factors that helped influence was gender. Only one said culture; one
age; and one body language.
-Could you guess from the pictures if each model was an introvert or an
extrovert? All believed that they were right in guessing introversion vs.
extroversion.
-Were male or female expressions easier for you to read?
Most judges believed that it is easier to read the expressions of a male.
They were right in this case. Three of the five judges said that it was easier
to read the males expressions. One said both. One male judge said it was
easier to read female expressions (ironically he was mostly wrong in his
guessing of female emotions).
Conclusions
Can people be correctly judged by their facial expressions?
I was wrong about having an 80% or higher correct guess average, but my thesis
stands correct. With an average of 32.5% correct guesses, It shows that people
cannot correctly guess emotion based on their facial expressions.
This shows that people should not judge others emotions, thoughts, and feelings
based solely on their facial expressions. So many "looks" can mean so many
things!
Other questions I answered:
Can people guess if a person is an introvert or an extrovert based on their
facial expressions?
The judging was mostly correct (11 out of 15 guesses), but while guessing
the males introversion, the judgement was predominantly wrong (2 correct
out of 5 guesses).
Is a male or female easier to read based on facial expressions? Apparently
the male in this case was easier to read than the females.
Female total: 25.6% CORRECT
Male total: 46.25% CORRECT
Does a male or female do a better lob at judging emotions based on facial
expressions?
In judging the males were 24% correct and the females 32%
Do people judge facial expressions just as accurately at first sight as opposed
to taking the time to see?
I surprised myself to see that the more correct guesses were during the initial
reaction experiment than the contemplated experiment.
Initial Reaction Total: 35.83% CORRECT
Contemplated Reaction Total: 29.16% CORRECT
Are universal emotions easier to read than any other non-universal emotions?
All judges believed that the universal emotions were easier to read than
the non-universal ones. They were right in this instant with 42/37 correct
answers. (42=U , 37=NU)
FOR NEXT TIME
The choices and decisions I had to make here were simplistic. I do not believe
that any merit should be given this experiment except for a learning tool
for students. I conducted this experiment and I received my results. I believe
in order to get some "real results" or merit, this type of experiment should
be taken to a higher level. I should have many more models and it would not
hurt if they were even professional models that could show good expressions.
I would also use many more judges. I ran into my share of troubles during
this experiment that would have been avoided given that this was to be a
bigger experiment. I believe I would need a laboratory. I ran across too
many distractions in the atmospheres I chose for my volunteers. Also given
the time and rush of the experiment, the non-seriousness of some of the
volunteers, and the arguments bought up by some of them, I believe a lot
of my data was effected. This could and should have been avoided.
I constantly thought to myself "am I getting real data?" I did not stop ,
though, and kept going. I knew I would find things I should have done better
afterwards, but I knew I was getting a great amount of experience from the
whole process.
I ended up frustrated a lot. The next time I do a psychology experiment,
it will be on the patience and attitudes of female and male volunteers. In
my experience here, the males were much easier to work with, whereas the
female brought up arguments, wasted time, and disregarded my instructions
continuously. My hypothesis would be: Are females insane?
Recorded Results
| Kelsi |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial reactions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Judge
# |
Sadness |
Anger |
Joy |
Fear |
Confusion |
Amusement |
Doubt |
Love |
| 1Jessica |
~R |
~W |
~R |
~R |
~R |
~R |
~W |
~R |
| 2Shadeax |
w |
W |
R |
W |
W |
W |
W |
W |
| 3Don |
R |
R |
R |
W |
W |
W |
R |
W |
| 4Francis |
W |
R |
W |
R |
W |
W |
W |
W |
| 5Fariba |
W |
R |
W |
W |
W |
W |
W |
W |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contemplated reactions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Judge
# |
Sadness |
Anger |
Joy |
Fear |
Confusion |
Amusement |
Doubt |
Love |
| iJessica |
w |
w |
W |
R |
W |
W |
W |
R |
| 2Shadeax |
w |
w |
w |
w |
w |
W |
R |
W |
| 3Don |
R |
R |
W |
W |
R |
W |
W |
W |
| 4Francis |
R |
R |
W |
W |
W |
W |
R |
R |
| 5Fariba |
w |
w |
w |
w |
w |
w |
W |
R |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| This person
is an extrovert This person was labeled an extrovert by four of the five
judges. One judge labeled her an introvert. |
|
Recorded Results for: Liley Initial reactions |
| Judge
# |
Sadness |
Anger |
Joy |
Fear |
Confusion |
Amusement |
Doubt |
Love |
| Ijessica |
W |
R |
W |
R |
W |
R |
R |
~R |
| 2shadeax |
w |
w |
w |
w |
w |
W |
R |
W |
| 3Don |
w |
w |
w |
w |
w |
W |
R |
W |
| 4Francis |
w |
w |
w |
w |
w |
w |
W |
R |
| 5Fariba |
R |
W |
W |
W |
W |
W |
R |
R |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contemplated reactions |
|
|
|
|
| Judge
# |
Sadness |
Anger |
Joy |
Fear |
Confusion |
Amusement |
Doubt |
Love |
| iJessica |
W |
R |
W |
W |
W |
W |
W |
R |
| 2Shadeax |
w |
w |
w |
w |
w |
w |
w |
w |
| 3Don |
W |
R |
R |
W |
W |
W |
W |
W |
| 4Francis |
w |
w |
w |
w |
w |
w |
W |
R |
| 5Fariba |
w |
w |
w |
w |
w |
w |
w |
w |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This person is an extrovert. This person was labeled an extrovert by all
five judges. Recorded Results for: Elton Initial reactions |
| Judge
# |
Sadness |
Anger |
Joy |
Fear |
Confusion |
Amusement |
Doubt |
Love |
| ijessica |
R |
R |
R |
R |
R |
R |
W |
R |
| 2Shadeax |
R |
R |
W |
W |
W |
W |
W |
W |
| 3Don |
W |
R |
W |
W |
W |
R |
W |
W |
| 4Francis |
W |
R |
R |
W |
W |
R |
W |
R |
| SFariba |
R |
W |
W |
W |
W |
W |
R |
R |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contemplated reactions |
|
|
|
|
|
| Judge
# |
Sadness |
Anger |
Joy |
Fear |
Confusion |
Amusement |
Doubt |
Love |
| ijessica |
R |
R |
R |
R |
R |
R |
R |
R |
| 2Shadeax |
R |
W |
W |
W |
W |
W |
W |
R |
| 3Don |
W |
R |
R |
W |
R |
R |
W |
W |
| 4Fraucis |
R |
W |
R |
W |
W |
R |
W |
R |
| 5Fariba |
R |
W |
W |
W |
W |
W |
W |
W |
This person is an introvert. This person was labeled an introvert by two
of the five judges. The other three labeled him an extrovert.
|