Analysis of spontaneous facial expression of compassion elicited by the video stimulus : facial expression of compassion

• Authors: Martina Baránková , Júlia Halamová , Mária Gablíková , Jana Koróniová , Bronislava Strnádelová
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Objectives. The study focuses on the analysis of facial expressions elicited by a compassionate video stimulus. Sample and setting. There was a convenient sample of 151 respondents aged from 18 to 59 years old (M= 25.17; SD = 7.81). Respondents watched a compassionate video stimulus and their faces were recorded through webcams online at home in the context of reduced social desirability. Research questions. The goal of the study was to describe the spontaneous facial expression of compassion elicited by the compassionate video through changes in the facial muscular activity – action units. Additionally, next aim was to explore which basic emotions (anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise) are the most involved in facial expression of participants while watching the most compassionate moment of the video compared to the baseline. Statistical analysis. The authors analyzed facial expressions simultaneously by the manual method the Facial Action Coding System (FACS) by four certified coders as well as automatically by Emotion ID software. Results. Analysis of facial expressions by coders demonstrated that action units 7 (lid tightener), 12 (lip corner puller), 43 (eyes closed) and 56 (head tilt right) appeared significantly more frequently in the most compassionate moment compared to the baseline moment. Analysis of facial expressions by Emotion ID software dem- onstrated that there was a significantly higher probability of appearance of anger and sadness in the most compassionate moment than in the baseline moment. In addition, the results of the study show that a compassionate facial expres- sion is associated with some kind of “false” smile, mildly lowered upper eyelids, contracted lower eyelids and head tilted to the right as cod- ed by FACS. Study limitation. The main limitations of the study are that research was conducted on a rela- tively small and not representative sample from one culture and also the social context of com- passion was missing.

Keywords

EN

compassion; emotions; face perception; facial expression

Discipline

• PSYCHOLOGY: PSYCHOLOGY

• Publisher: Institute of Psychology, Czech Academy of Sciences
• Journal: Československá psychologie (Czechoslovak Psychology)
• Year: 2019
• Volume: 63
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 26-41
• Document type: ARTICLE

Contributors

author

Martina Baránková

• Československá psychologie, redakce, Psychologický ústav AV ČR, v.v.i., Politických vězňů 7, 110 00 Praha 1, Czech Republic

author

Júlia Halamová

• Československá psychologie, redakce, Psychologický ústav AV ČR, v.v.i., Politických vězňů 7, 110 00 Praha 1, Czech Republic

author

Mária Gablíková

• Československá psychologie, redakce, Psychologický ústav AV ČR, v.v.i., Politických vězňů 7, 110 00 Praha 1, Czech Republic

author

Jana Koróniová

• Československá psychologie, redakce, Psychologický ústav AV ČR, v.v.i., Politických vězňů 7, 110 00 Praha 1, Czech Republic

author

Bronislava Strnádelová

• Československá psychologie, redakce, Psychologický ústav AV ČR, v.v.i., Politických vězňů 7, 110 00 Praha 1, Czech Republic