RAPID FACIAL REACTIONS TO EMOTIONAL FACIAL EXPRESSIONS

This study explored how rapidly emotion specific facial muscle reactio ns were elicited when subjects were exposed to pictures of angry and h appy facial expressions. In three separate experiments, it was found t hat distinctive facial electromyographic reactions, i.e., greater Zygo maticus major muscle activity in response to happy than to angry stimu li and greater Corrugator supercilii muscle activity in response to an gry stimuli, were detectable after only 300-400 ms of exposure. These findings demonstrate that facial reactions are quickly elicited, indic ating that expressive emotional reactions can be very rapidly manifest ed and are perhaps controlled by fast operating facial affect programs .