A study on the temporal aspects of the facial expression

Abstract

(1) There are some specific differences between the temporal courses of crying and those of laughing, and these differences are decided by the internal conditions as well as the situation in which the subject is placed. But, generally speaking, we can find out a tendency that crying continues longer than laughing. (2) The climaxes of crying of the child show the same intensity irrespective of the causes, but in the case of laughing the climaxes are not the same. (3) The duration of climax of crying is very short. But a considerably strong crying as a whole continues long. The expression of laughing continues for only a very short time when it is strong, and continues sometimes long (but shorter than crying) when it is weak. (4) Generally speaking, the speed of the changing of crying is slower than that of laughing. (5) In all cases the processes of the facial expressions jump up and down, and during the intervals of these there are slow changes. (6) After crying (sometimes before it) there is a long and slow change of expression. But laughing occurs and vanishes suddenly. © 1936, The Japanese Psychological Association. All rights reserved.