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Reverse Dissection and DiceCT Reveal Otherwise Hidden Data in the Evolution of the Primate Face
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Published on: January 7, 2019

Facial expression form and function.

Joshua M Susskind1, Adam K Anderson

  • 1Department of Psychology; University of Toronto; Toronto, Ontario Canada.

Communicative & Integrative Biology
|August 26, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Facial expressions for fear and disgust alter sensory exposure. Anger and surprise expressions may also involve sensory modulation, suggesting a general evolutionary principle for facial expressiveness across species.

Keywords:
adaptationcross-speciesemotionevolutionfacial expressionnonverbal displayssensory function

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Last Updated: Jun 20, 2026

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07:12

Protocol for Data Collection and Analysis Applied to Automated Facial Expression Analysis Technology and Temporal Analysis for Sensory Evaluation

Published on: August 26, 2016

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Comparative psychology
  • Biomechanics

Background:

  • Facial expressions are theorized to have adaptive functions promoting genetic fitness.
  • Specific adaptive roles of facial emotions remain largely untested since Darwin.
  • Previous research indicated fear and disgust expressions alter facial biomechanics and sensory exposure.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the adaptive functions of facial expressions from an evolutionary perspective.
  • To test if sensory modulation is a general principle shaping facial expressions across emotions and species.
  • To explore the origins of human facial expressions through cross-species comparisons.

Main Methods:

  • Vector flow analyses of facial expressions.
  • Biomechanical property assessment of the face.
  • Comparative examination of sensory intake across species.

Main Results:

  • Fear expressions increase sensory exposure, while disgust expressions decrease it.
  • Anger and surprise expressions show action tendencies related to sensory contraction and expansion.
  • Evidence suggests sensory modulation may be a general principle underlying facial expressiveness.

Conclusions:

  • Sensory modulation appears to be a fundamental principle shaping facial expression evolution, not limited to specific emotions like fear or disgust.
  • This principle likely extends across species, offering insights into the evolutionary origins of human facial expressions.
  • Further cross-species research on facial morphology and sensory intake is crucial for understanding the evolution of facial expressions.