Factors influencing the communication of emotional intent by facial expressions

Abstract

Forty-eight Ss attempted to communicate 10 emotions to four judges by means of facial expressions. Results agreed with those reported by Thompson & Meltzer (1964) in showing that happiness was easiest and contempt most difficult to communicate, and that the Woodworth-Schlosberg scale consisted of five categories and was not circular. Also, females were found to be more effective than males in communicating happiness, love, fear, and anger. A measure of situational anxiety (the AACL) failed to show the expected negative relationahip to accuracy of communication. © 1967, Psychonomic Press. All rights reserved.