exploring how people everywhere are using their faces to communicate with others
The aim of this website is to seek to better understand the answers to several questions having to do with the implications of human facial expression. Building upon and synthesizing the work of anthropologists, psychologists, and ethologists such as Charles Darwin, Paul Ekman, Carroll Izard, Alan Fridlund, Irenaus Eibl-Eibesfeldt, and James Russell, this website will strive to determine more about the nature of facial expressions, taking into account the biological and cultural aspects that influence how they are produced and interpreted.
What evolutionary paths could our facial expressions have taken? How does looking at the evolution of facial expression cause us to question whether it is inextricably linked with emotion?
To what extent are our facial expressions governed by our genetics? Does a common genetic foundation imply that all people experience facial expression in the same way?
To what extent are facial expressions learned by being exposed to a certain culture? How much do facial expressions vary from culture to culture?
How can observations about other cultures help us understand facial expression and its diverse and universal components?
