Study shows that there are four basic emotions, not six as previously thought

Research provides surprising new insights into human emotions.

Human beings are emotional in natureand moods are often unmistakably reflected in facial expressions.

The four basic emotions (and not six)

There is a popular belief, which has been held for years, and which was first proposed by the American psychologist Paul Ekmanthat there are a total of six basic or main emotions or main emotions that are known worldwide and that are easily decipherable through determined facial expressions, independent of the culture or condition of the person. These emotions, according to Ekman, were: sadness, sadness, sadness, sadness, sadness, sadness, sadness and sadness. sadnesssadness, happiness happinesshappiness fearanger angersurprise surprise and disgust.

However, it seems that Ekman erred in including some of them. A recent study published in Current Biology and carried out by researchers at Glasgow University in the United Kingdom, has changed the paradigm regarding which are the basic human emotions. The study concludes that there are not six basic emotions, but only four..

The results were obtained by observing the different facial muscles, which the scientists have called "Action Units", involved in the signaling of various emotions, as well as the time during which each muscle performs a contraction or relaxation.

This research is a great start in the objective study of the dynamics of facial expressions. dynamics of facial expressionsand more will probably emerge in the future thanks to the analysis platform that Glasgow University has developed.

What are the basic emotions?

The group of scientists from the Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology has asserted that, although the facial expression signals of happiness and sadness are manifestly different from beginning to end, fear and surprise share a base signal, the wide-open eyes, at the beginning of both expressions, fear and surprise share a base signal, the wide-open eyes, at the beginning of both expressions..

Likewise, disgust and anger have in common the wrinkled nose at the first moments they are emitted.. These signals could be in line with an ancestral signal that we emit when we are in danger.

The key to emotions lies in evolution

Researcher Rachael E. Jack explained in a press release: "The results are consistent with evolutionary predictions, that is, that facial signals are designed by evolutionary pressuresboth Biological and social, in order to optimize their function".

In addition, he says: "The danger-reaction signals, the early signals, confer an advantage by facilitating a quick reaction. On the other hand, the physiological advantages (the wrinkled nose does not allow the inspiration of harmful particles floating in the air, while the fully open eyes increase the perception of visual information that we will later use to flee) are greater when facial expressions are made earlier."

"As generations passed, and as humans moved around the planet, socioecological diversity promoted the specialization of certain previously common facial expressions, affecting the variety and typology of signals across cultures," Jack adds.

Cutting-edge technology to analyze facial movements involved in emotions

Software designed by Philippe Schyns, Hui Yu and Oliver Garrod, which they called Generative Face Grammaruses cameras to capture a three-dimensional image of the faces of people specifically trained to mobilize all forty-two facial muscles. forty-two facial muscles independently.

By collecting this information, a computer is able to generate concrete or random facial expressions in a three-dimensional model, based on the activation of different facial muscles. Action Unitsto be able to reproduce any facial expression.

Study on basic emotions

Participants were asked to observe the three-dimensional The participants were asked to observe the three-dimensional model while it was showing various facial expressions, and they were asked to note down which emotion they were experiencing.and they were asked to note which emotion was being expressed on each occasion. The scientists discriminated the Action Units that in each case the participants associated with a particular emotion.

With the analysis of these variables, they found that the facial cues of fear/surprise and anger/ disgust tended to be confused in the early moment and only became recognizable a few moments later, when other Units of Action came into play.

Rachael Jack stated:

"Our study disputes the idea that interpersonal communication through emotions is constituted of six fundamental, psychologically irreducible categories. Our research therefore suggests that there are a total of four fundamental expressions of emotion”.

Cultural biases in the expression of emotion

It appears that the architects of the research have set out to develop this line of study by analyzing facial expressions in different cultures, including some East Asian populations, which, according to some scholars, interpret some facial expressions differently, interpret some of the classic emotions differently.The new findings will undoubtedly need to be contrasted accordingly, and the cultural variable will play an essential role in being able to say for sure which are the gestures associated with certain emotions.

Undoubtedly, these new findings will have to be contrasted conveniently, and the cultural variable will play an essential role in being able to say with certainty which gestures are associated with certain emotions. We will remain attentive.

Bibliographical references:

• Rachel E. Jack, Oliver G.B. Garrod, Philippe G. Schyns. Dynamic Facial Expressions of Emotion Transmit an Evolving Hierarchy of Signals over Time. Current Biology (2014). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2013.11.064.