Investigating spatio-temporal features of dynamic facial expressions

Abstract

A conventional view of the typical development of a facial expression comprises the phases of onset, apex and offset, and the facial configurations at the peak moment of the expression directly correspond with an emotional state. However, such a static view may be too simple; affective expressions are dynamic and complex. The present article focuses on empirical evidence demonstrating that facial temporal dynamics is a carrier of information about emotional states. Our study suggests that facial expressions are dynamic changes in which multiple components with different spatio-temporal characteristics appear simultaneously, unlike the conventional view on facial expressions. The implications for future research on dynamic facial expressions are discussed.