Last week we wrote about the importance of distinguishing micro and macro expressions, but we passed too quickly over deception detection. Microexpressions differ from their longer lasting counterparts in many ways, but one of the most salient is the fact that they can betray underlying emotions. The fleeting microexpression can show anger or surprise where…
Read MoreExciting new research about microexpressions!
Although microexpressions are analogous to longer-lasting ones in many ways, it is in their differences that much of the latest exciting science dwells. Humintell’s Drs. David Matsumoto and Hyisung Hwang recently published an analysis of a major study, Shen et al. (2016), which sought to contrast fleeting microexpressions from those that lasted longer than 200…
Read MoreRussian Smiles?
It is almost a cliché, even among Russian-Americans, to joke about how little Russians smile. But does that reflect differing happiness levels? There is some evidence that Russians are less happy than Americans, but current research suggests that this is not due to huge underling differences. Instead, it can be better explained by differing cultural…
Read MoreHow can smiling boost one’s mood?
In the video below, Dr. Matsumoto chose to address a question submitted to us for National Smile Month: How can smiling boost one’s mood? This is actually true, and smiling helps boost our mood by interfacing with central physical and emotional processes in our brain. Dr. Matsumoto describes these emotional processes as sort of a…
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