The development of judging the authenticity of facial expressions

Abstract

This paper investigated the developmental process by which children learn to appropriately judge the authenticity of a facial expression that is deliberately controlled. The results showed that difficulty in judgment varied, depending on the type of facial expression, and that smiles were easy to judge. However, children cannot scan the eyes, which provide a useful cue for smiles. Through reviewing previous studies, the following process was suggested. Children are initially poor at scanning facial expressions and do not know which part of the face they need to look at. Children then generally start to look at the eyes when they are about to recognize an emotion from a facial expression. Furthermore, they compare the situation and the facial expression and notice inconsistencies between them. They thereafter learn that the eyes appear different when a person does not actually feel happy. Finally, future research directions are discussed.