Emotional Contagion
Oct. 24th, 2002 04:07 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
novapsycheWhy It Is Hard To Keep A Straight Face
If you meet someone who looks angry or happy, it is often hard to remain expressionless yourself - and now scientists believe they know why.
Researchers in Sweden believe your unconscious mind exerts direct control of your facial muscles.
However much you struggle to keep a blank face, your brain may be letting you down.
It is well known that emotions can find their way into your facial expression, body language, and gestures, but researchers at Uppsala University are trying to work out to what extent we are in control of these movements.
[...] Even though study subjects were trying consciously to curb their natural reactions, the twitching in their muscles told a different story.
Dr Dimberg describes this as "emotional contagion".
If you meet someone who looks angry or happy, it is often hard to remain expressionless yourself - and now scientists believe they know why.
Researchers in Sweden believe your unconscious mind exerts direct control of your facial muscles.
However much you struggle to keep a blank face, your brain may be letting you down.
It is well known that emotions can find their way into your facial expression, body language, and gestures, but researchers at Uppsala University are trying to work out to what extent we are in control of these movements.
[...] Even though study subjects were trying consciously to curb their natural reactions, the twitching in their muscles told a different story.
Dr Dimberg describes this as "emotional contagion".