Qualitative differences in men’s and women’s facial movements in an experimental situation

Abstract

Studies indicate that men and women show quantitative differences in their production of facial movements. However, less is known regarding the qualitative aspect of facial differences between women and men. The aim of this study was to determine whether men and women could present a gender-specific temporal organization of facial movements. Eighteen Brazilian students (nine men and nine women) were filmed whilst performing a perceptual task involving verbal answers, the aim being to generate various types of facial expressions. The location of 29 facial points involved in facial movements were coded frame by frame and then analyzed with the THEME Software, allowing the detection of temporal patterns (T-patterns) of facial movements. Our results highlighted three typically feminine T-patterns (expressed only by women) in an experimental context, all involving mouth movements. No typically masculine T-patterns were detected in the same situation. This study shows the existence of some qualitative differences between women and men in their facial movements’ organization.