Science / Medicine : Making Faces for Science

Contrary to common belief, facial expressions elicit the same physiological reactions in all cultures, according to psychologist Paul Ekman of UC San Francisco. Ekman and psychologist Robert W. Levenson of UC Berkeley asked 46 Minangkabau subjects living in the town of Bukittinggi in Indonesia how to produce facial configurations representing five universal emotional expressions--anger, disgust, fear, happiness and sadness.

While the subjects were making the faces, the researchers measured heart rate, skin conductance and other physiological properties. They found that the physiological reactions of the Minangkabau upon making the faces or viewing them in a mirror were identical to those made by Americans.

A disgusting facial expression, for example, elicited the same intense physiological response in both groups, while smiling did not produce any response.