Facial displays are tools for social influence
Date
2018-03-12
Authors
Crivelli, Carlos
Fridlund, Alan J.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Elsevier
Peer reviewed
Yes
Abstract
Based on modern theories of signal evolution and animal communication, the behavioral ecology view of facial displays (BECV) reconceives our ‘facial expressions of emotion’ as social tools that serve as lead signs to contingent action in social negotiation. BECV offers an externalist, functionalist view of facial displays that is not bound to Western conceptions about either expressions or emotions. It easily accommodates recent findings of diversity in facial displays, their public context-dependency, and the curious but common occurrence of solitary facial behavior. Finally, BECV restores continuity of human facial behavior research with modern functional accounts of non-human communication, and provides a non-mentalistic account of facial displays well-suited to new developments in artificial intelligence and social robotics.
Description
Open access article
Keywords
behavioral ecology, facial displays, social influence, diversity, emotion, evolution
Citation
Crivelli, C., and Fridlund, A. J. (2018) Facial displays are tools for social influence. Trends in Cognitive Sciences,
Research Institute
Institute for Psychological Science