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Sights and sounds of emotion trigger big brain responses

A study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences identified a brain region that strongly reacts to emotional faces and voices. The research found that the posterior superior temporal sulcus responds supra-additively to simultaneous visual and auditory emotional stimuli.

SourceUniversity of York·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 2, 2009

Plastic Surgery 2009 news briefs

Key findings from the ASPS Plastic Surgery 2009 conference include advancements in face and hand transplantation, with a focus on improving donor availability and patient selection. Additionally, plastic surgeons will discuss innovative technologies and techniques for repairing traumatic battlefield injuries and restoring function.

Believing is seeing

Researchers found that initial thoughts about others' emotions bias subsequent facial expression perception and memory. Participants who initially interpreted faces as angry remembered them expressing more anger, while those who interpreted them as happy remembered less anger.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalPsychological Science·DateSep 2, 2009

Facial expressions show language barriers too

Research finds that Easterners and Westerners have different ways of recognizing facial expressions, with Easterners neglecting the mouth and focusing on the eyes. This complexity highlights that human communication of emotion is more nuanced than previously thought.

SourceCell Press·JournalCurrent Biology·DateAug 13, 2009

Robot learns to smile and frown

Researchers at UC San Diego used machine learning to empower their Einstein robot to learn realistic facial expressions, improving the process of teaching robots to make lifelike faces. The team discovered that the model learned to automatically compensate for missing servos and can now make facial expressions it had never encountered.

Personal discrimination on the Web

Researchers developed a system to extract subjective expressions from web pages, scoring them for subjectivity and indicating whether they express personal opinions or marketing speak. The method outperformed general search engines in detecting personal opinion pages across four categories.

SourceInderscience Publishers·JournalInternational Journal of Business Intelligence and Data Mining·DateMay 21, 2009

Rice psychologist explores perception of fear in human sweat

Research by Denise Chen reveals that human sweat contains emotional meanings, particularly in ambiguous situations, and modulates vision to detect fear. The study found that exposure to 'fearful' sweat biases women towards interpreting facial expressions as more fearful, especially when emotions are unclear.

SourceRice University·JournalPsychological Science·DateMar 6, 2009

Oh, what a feeling!

Researchers found that training individuals to read body language, facial expressions, and voice tone in others resulted in significant gains in emotional perception. This skill is crucial for successful social communication and helps overcome chronic social difficulties or isolation. The training regime, known as self-instruction trai...

SourceUniversity of New South Wales·JournalJournal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation·DateNov 20, 2008

Why an exciting book is just as thrilling as a hair-raising movie

Researchers found that the same brain regions are activated when observing facial expressions of disgust in others and experiencing it oneself. This study suggests that reading a book can elicit emotional responses comparable to those experienced while watching a movie, thanks to the shared brain activity patterns.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateAug 12, 2008

Better tools needed for assessing infant pain

Currently used pain assessment tools may not accurately reflect the pain experience in infants. A study published in PLOS Medicine found that changes in brain activity correlated with clinical pain scores, but were more strongly linked to behavioral components such as facial expression than physiological components like heart rate. The...

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateJun 23, 2008

Disgusting videos used to study coping methods

Researchers used fMRI to study two emotion regulation techniques: cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression. Cognitive reappraisal reduced negative emotions by reinterpretating the meaning of disgusting images, while expressive suppression increased neural activity in the amygdala and insula.

SourceStanford University·JournalBiological Psychiatry·DateMar 19, 2008

Reading a face is tricky business

A Northwestern University study found that electrical activity in the brain is altered within 200 milliseconds when viewing subliminal emotional expressions, leading to biased ratings of facial expressions. Those with anxiety tend to exhibit stronger brain responses to fear-primed expressions.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalJournal of Cognitive Neuroscience·DateJul 31, 2007

UCLA study first to show autistic brains can be trained to recognize visual and vocal cues

Autistic individuals often struggle with interpreting subtle social cues like facial expressions and tone of voice. A UCLA study found that explicit instructions can train their brains to respond appropriately. Researchers trained ASD children to pay attention to these cues, resulting in increased activity in the brain's 'social' network.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalArchives of General Psychiatry·DateJun 27, 2007

Pitt alumnus and professor put a face on Internet communication with personalized icon software

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh have developed a new approach to online communication called FaceAlive Icons, which uses personalized images to convey emotions. The program allows users to alter their facial expressions and improve personal communication in emails, text messages, and online forums.

SourceUniversity of Pittsburgh·JournalJournal of Visual Languages & Computing·DateApr 9, 2007

Do angry men get noticed?

A recent study found that men and women both prioritize detecting angry male faces, suggesting a bias towards threat detection. Angry male faces were also found more rapidly by both sexes than angry female faces or socially relevant expressions.

SourceCell Press·JournalCurrent Biology·DateJun 5, 2006

The enigmatic face

A recent study found that motion significantly enhances people's ability to recognize subtle facial expressions, particularly when displayed dynamically rather than statically. The research suggests that motion reveals the temporal characteristics of emotions and improves sensitivity to communication of emotion.

SourceAssociation for Psychological Science·JournalPsychological Science·DateJul 26, 2005

Experience alters how we perceive emotion

A recent study by Seth Pollak found that children who have experienced physical abuse categorize facial expressions differently than non-abused children. Abused children identified more faces as being 'angry' rather than fearful or sad. This suggests that experience can shape how people perceive and understand emotions.

SourceUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 17, 2002

Three new psychological studies show how positive and negative emotions affect us now and later

Three new studies show that expressing positive emotions can lead to better relationships, mental focus, and personal well-being. Additionally, research finds that a positive outlook on life persists into old age, with extraverted individuals less likely to experience a decline in positive affect.

SourceAmerican Psychological Association·JournalJournal of Personality and Social Psychology·DateJan 20, 2001

Facial expressions are contagious

A study by Ulf Dimberg found that facial muscle activity can be spontaneously evoked without conscious awareness, suggesting subconscious emotional communication. The results support the theory that important aspects of face-to-face interaction can occur on a subconscious level.

SourceUppsala University·JournalPsychological Science·DateMar 27, 2000