Authors:

Pollick, FE., CALDER, A.J., Hill, H and Peterson, H

Reference:

Year of publication:

2002

CBU number:

5546

Abstract:

With static facial expressions there are techniques available which manipulate spatial properties in order to obtain enhanced recognition of an expression. However, if expressions are considered as movements that evolve over time they become more complex and less is know about how spatial or temporal manipulations can be used to obtain enhanced recognition. For segmental human movement, techniques have been developed that exaggerate temporal (Hill & Pollick, 2000) and spatial (Pollick, Fidopiastis & Braden, 2001) properties of a movement to obtain enhanced recognition of movement style. We adapted these techniques to examine how the recognition of facial emotion was influenced by manipulation of both spatial and temporal properties of 3D point light displays of facial motion. We started with the measurement of 3D position of multiple locations on the face during posed expressions of anger, happiness, sadness and surprise and then manipulated the spatial and temporal properties of the measurements to obtain new movements. In two experiments we examined recognition of these original and modified facial expressions. In Experiment 1 we manipulated the spatial properties of the facial movement and in Experiment 2 we manipulated the temporal properties. The results of Experiment 1 showed the exaggeration of facial expressions relative to a fixed neutral expression resulted in enhanced ratings of emotional intensity. The results of Experiment 2 showed that changing the duration of an expression influenced ratings of emotional intensity, with shorter durations appearing to have lower ratings of intensity.