The influence of emotional context scenes on the interpretation of masking smiles
Date
2022-03-11
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The current study investigated the effects of emotional context scenes on the interpretation of
masking smiles. The study was conducted using 3 groups, a control group (29 participants) and 2
experimental groups (30 and 25 participants respectively). The control group was shown the
name of one of 4 emotions (Anger, Disgust, Fear or Sadness), followed by masking smiles with
traces of negative emotions. They were then asked to identify the masking smiles that
corresponded to the emotion. The first experimental group was shown an emotional context
scene meant to convey one of the same 4 emotions in the control group, followed by pictures of
the same masking smiles with traces of negative emotions. Finally, the second experimental
group followed the same procedure as the first but were presented with an emotional context
scene with the name of the emotion that it was meant to convey at the bottom of the screen.
Participants in the experimental groups were asked to identify the masking smile that best
corresponds to an individual trying to mask the emotion that was previously presented to them.
The results showed that the context images did not have any major effects on the interpretation
of masking smiles, with anger only being recognized at a below chance level in the first
experimental group.
Description
Keywords
Emotion recognition, masking smiles, context images