The influence of emotional context scenes on the interpretation of masking smiles

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.