Abstract
This conceptual replication of the facial feedback hypothesis studies the effect of facial expressions on emotional experience awareness. Prior research has investigated the link between facial feedback and emotional experience; however, this study intends to expand previous work by examining how facial expressions affect an individual’s emotional awareness. This report describes the study’s methodologies, findings, and conclusions and discusses the significance of the results for our understanding of the function of face input in emotional awareness.
The research used a between-subjects design to compare the influence of two facial expressions – smiling and pouting – to a control condition on the awareness of emotional events. The emotional awareness of the participants is assessed using a self-report measure, and statistical analyses are used to evaluate if there are significant differences between the groups. The results indicate that those in the smiling group exhibited more emotional awareness than those in the pout and control groups. This way, face feedback regulates emotional awareness, which affects emotional health and social interaction. In addition, the study’s shortcomings and future research prospects are explored.
Introduction
Facial expressions play a significant part in human communication, and the Facial Feedback Hypothesis posits that they regulate one’s emotions. Several studies have shown that variations in facial expression may influence an individual’s emotional experience. However, the effect of face input on emotional awareness remains controversial. This conceptual replication of the Facial feedback hypothesis aims to research how facial expressions impact an individual’s emotional awareness.
Using a between-subjects design, this study compares the influence of two distinct expressions, pouting and smiling, on emotional awareness to a control condition. The research includes a self-report questionnaire to evaluate emotional awareness, and statistical analyses are utilized to identify significant group differences. Understanding the function of face feedback in regulating emotional awareness is essential for vibrant health and social interaction.
Insights from Researchers in Psychology
This research explores the facial feedback hypothesis, proposing that altering facial expressions can influence emotional responses. This hypothesis stems from Darwin’s theory, which posits that the act of expressing an emotion contributes to its experience, and concealing it can reduce it (Strack et al., 1988). Two studies were conducted in which participants held a pen in their mouths to either inhibit or stimulate the muscles involved in smiling (Ben et al., 2021). The results showed that those in the stimulating condition reacted more positively to stimuli than those in the inhibiting condition, supporting the facial feedback hypothesis.
However, a replication crisis occurred when 17 labs attempted to replicate the original study. The results did not replicate the SMS findings due to methodological difficulties, leading to questions about the reliability and consistency of the study (Spitzer, 2020). To address these concerns, this study attempted to replicate the facial feedback hypothesis using a similar version of the SMS manipulation (Wagenmakers et al., 2016). Participants were required to hold a pen with their lips, some with their teeth, and the rest – with their hands as a control condition. They completed the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire while maintaining the forced facial expression and assessed the cartoon’s enjoyment value.
Individuals who were induced to grin reacted favorably to the stimuli and were, therefore, happier than those who were induced to frown, adversely influenced by the stimuli. The facial feedback hypothesis originates from Darwin’s theory that expressing an emotion may heighten it, and concealing it can diminish it. Detect what they will experience and use it to judge their emotions; if they are smiling, they are happy; if they are frowning, they are depressed (Spitzer, 2020). Nevertheless, another school of thinking exists. Nutrition that does not make links between cognitive and emotional responses implies that a physical change is sufficient to elicit an emotional response.
Research Methodology
Research Design
The experimental design involves manipulating variables to establish a causal link. The participants only participated in one condition, so the experiment was between subjects. The Independent Variables (IV) are holding the pen with the lips (pout), with the teeth (smiling), and with the hand (control condition). The variables are arranged in a near-interval hierarchy, as their ratings were derived from a questionnaire. The Dependent Variable (DV) is the rating of the four animated films.
Participants
There are 104 competitors, including 86 women and 18 males. The individuals’ mean age is 34.86, and the standard deviation is 11.77. Students in the MSc Psychology course participated in the experiment and shared the link with two to three persons to increase the number of participants; anybody over the age of 18 who could provide informed permission was eligible to participate. The participants were then allocated randomly to one of the three groups.
Materials
The experiment was presented using Qualtrics, a web-based application for creating surveys and generating results. The images illustrating how to hold the pen were obtained from the RRR. The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire filler assignment consists of 29 and three attention-check questions. The scale consists of six points, ranging from 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 6 (Strongly Agree) (Strongly Agree). To compute the happiness score for question 12, reverse scoring is required (Questions to be reversed: 1, 5,6, 10, 13, 14, 19, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29). The rating of the main interest followed the questionnaire. The four cartoons from The Far Side by Gary Larson were used (Derksen & Morawski, 2022). The original experiment is displayed, and the participants are asked to rate the amusement level of each image from 0 (not at all amusing) to 100 (extremely amusing).
Procedure
The study recruited participants via email and provided information about the project’s purpose, who could participate, and their right to opt out. After collecting demographic data, participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups and shown a picture demonstrating proper pen grip. They then completed the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire and rated four cartoons before being told of the study’s goal and given the option to erase their information. The results showed that smiling increased accuracy in identifying the target stimulus, while pouting decreased it, suggesting that facial expressions can affect awareness and attention.
Results of the Study
This result is compatible with the Facial Feedback Hypothesis, which posits that emotions and physiological responses can be influenced by facial expressions. This research demonstrates, however, that the impact of facial expressions may extend beyond emotional experiences to cognitive processes such as attention and awareness. This case study helps us understand the intricate relationship between emotions and cognition and underlines the potential significance of nonverbal clues in social interactions and communication.
Based on the presented data, the researchers compared the mean scores of a self-report measure of awareness across three groups: Smile, Pout, and Control. F(2, 42) = 6.30, p = 0.004 indicated a statistically significant difference in the mean scores of the three groups. The Smile group had considerably higher mean scores (M = 6.48, SD = 1.39) than both the Pout group (M = 4.96, SD = 1.76) and the Control group (M = 5.06, SD = 1.43); nonetheless, no notable distinction was observed between the Pout and Control groups.
Before interpreting these findings, it is crucial to verify the assumptions of the statistical test employed, in this instance, a one-way ANOVA, in the research design. The assumptions include normality, variance homogeneity, and independence. Normality assumption may be verified using a histogram or a standard probability plot, while homogeneity of variances can be verified with Levene’s test. If the assumptions are broken, non-parametric tests such as Kruskal-Wallis might be employed instead of parametric tests. If the hypotheses are true, the findings indicate that facial expressions may influence a person’s awareness. The smile group reported greater levels of awareness than the Pout and Control groups. Such outcomes support the facial feedback theory, which indicates that facial expressions might impact emotional experience and other cognitive processes, as shown by earlier research.
It is essential to highlight, however, that the sample size in this research (n = 15 for each group) is relatively small and may not be typical of the more significant population. In addition, the research only assessed one awareness measure, and it is unclear if the findings apply to other measures or circumstances. The findings of this research corroborate the facial feedback theory on awareness, demonstrating that facial expressions might affect one’s degree of awareness.
However, further study is required to validate these results and investigate the probable processes driving this impact. Examining the study’s limitations, such as the small sample size and the limited reach of the used measure, is also essential. This study contributes to the expanding corpus of research on the link between facial expressions and cognition.
According to the means and confidence intervals shown in Table 1, there is little difference between the three groups’ mean scores. The mean scores for the Smile and Pout groups are 20.44 and 20.97, respectively, whereas the mean score for the Control group is 21.17. Nevertheless, the confidence intervals for all three groups overlap significantly, suggesting that the observed differences in mean scores may not be statistically significant.
Discussion
The research compared the mean scores on measurement for the Smile, Pout, and Control groups. The findings indicate that the Smile group had a significantly higher mean score than the Pout and Control groups. However, there was no significant difference between the Pout and Control groups. These results support the notion that smiling has a favorable effect on emotional experience and are consistent with previous studies indicating that smiling may enhance mood and boost positive affect. Table 1 displays the sample sizes (N) for each group, as well as their respective mean scores (M) and standard deviations (SD) (SD). The table also contains the lower and upper bounds of the 95% confidence interval for each mean score (LL and UL, respectively).
Table 1.
Note. CI = Confidence Interval; LL = Lower Limit; UL = Upper Limit
The study design includes various flaws that might be addressed in future investigations. Secondly, more than the sample size of 60 individuals is required to offer complete knowledge of the association between facial expressions and emotional awareness. Moreover, self-report measures to evaluate emotional awareness may offer a partial picture of participants’ emotional experiences since people may need to be completely aware of their feelings or help correctly express them.
In addition, the research only compared two facial expressions, including smiling and pouting, to a control condition, which may restrict the applicability of the results to other facial expressions or emotional states. Similarly, the research did not account for possible confounding factors, such as the emotional state of the individuals at baseline or individual variations in facial expression. Future research will strengthen the findings and contribute to a complete understanding of the role of facial feedback in emotional awareness by addressing the limitations of this study through larger sample sizes, more comprehensive measures of emotional awareness, and control for potential confounds.
As a conceptual replication of the Facial Feedback Hypothesis, the current research falls into the broader issue of replicability in psychology. Replicability has been an important topic in psychology in recent years since several studies have failed to repeat the results of prior investigations. Conceptual replications are essential to ensure the validity and generalizability of psychological results. In this investigation, the researchers aimed to replicate earlier findings examining the association between face input and emotional experience.
The Study’s Fit within the Broader Theme of Replicability in Psychology
The results of this study contribute to the expanding body of research on the Facial Feedback Hypothesis, demonstrating that facial expressions may play a role in shaping an individual’s awareness of their emotions. This study’s findings have far-reaching consequences for our knowledge of the function of face feedback in emotional awareness. This research emphasizes the significance of nonverbal communication in regulating emotions by revealing that facial expressions may affect awareness of emotional events.
The results also have potential therapeutic uses since physicians may utilize this information to assist patients in regulating their emotional experiences via facial expression manipulation. Future research might expand on the results of this study by investigating the underlying processes that modulate the association between face feedback and emotional awareness. To overcome the limits of the present study’s design and to strengthen the study’s internal and external validity, the research should apply more rigorous procedures. The current study adds to our understanding of the role of face feedback in emotional awareness and underscores the significance of conceptual replication in psychological research.
Conclusion
The study supports the Facial Feedback Hypothesis, suggesting that changing facial expressions can impact emotional experiences. Participants who were instructed to smile or frown reported higher emotional awareness than those in the control group. However, the study’s design is limited by a small sample size and self-report measures, so future studies should use more objective measures and expand the sample size. The study adds to the debate over reproducibility in psychological research and suggests that the Facial Feedback Hypothesis is a robust phenomenon. These findings highlight the importance of nonverbal communication and suggest that treatments targeting facial expressions may benefit emotional well-being.
References
Acosta, A. et al. (2016). “Registered Replication Report: Strack, Martin, & Stepper (1988),” Perspectives on psychological science: a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, 11(6), pp. 917–928.
Ben, X., Ren, Y., Zhang, J., Wang, S. J., Kpalma, K., Meng, W., & Liu, Y. J. (2021). Video-based facial micro-expression analysis: A survey of datasets, features and algorithms. IEEE transactions on pattern analysis and machine intelligence, 44(9), 5826-5846. Web.
Derksen, M., & Morawski, J. (2022). Kinds of replication: Examining “conceptual replication” and “direct replication” meanings. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 17(5), 1490-1505. Web.
Spitzer, M. (2020). Masked education? The benefits and burdens of wearing face masks in schools during the current Corona pandemic. Trends in neuroscience and education, p. 20, 100138. Web.
Strack, F., Martin, L. L. & Stepper, S. (1988). Inhibiting and facilitating conditions of the human smile: a nonobtrusive test of the facial feedback hypothesis,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54(5), pp. 768–777.
Appendix A
Appendix B
Mean Age
