The Face, The Fundamental Emotions, and Affect Interactions

Abstract

A number of different theories now implicitly (and sometimes explicitly) suggest that an emotion has three components: the neural, the expressive (mainly facial), and the experiential. Further, an increasing number of investigators in personality and social psychology, and practitioners in psychiatry and clinical psychology have been placing emphasis on the importance of the expressive component of emotion. There are a number of reasons for this emphasis. The face is the supreme center for sending and receiving social signals that are crucial for development of the individual, interpersonal communication, and the cohesiveness of the family and society.