ScienceDaily (May 10, 2010) — Historical research by Peter J. Snyder, PhD, reveals more of Charles Darwin's thinking when he completed what may be the first example of a prospective "single-blind" study of human perception of emotional expression. Through scrutiny of Darwin's work, including previously unpublished handwritten notes on his experiments, Snyder explains how this early experiment has direct implications to current work today in the areas of schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders and other neuropsychiatric conditions.
Peter Snyder, Ph.D., vice president of research for Lifespan, shows Charles Darwin's work involving the recognition of emotional expression may be the first example of a prospective single-blind study in this area, and has direct implications to current work today in the areas of schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder and other neuropsychiatric conditions. "No one in the past 500 years has done more to shape modern biological science," Snyder says. (Credit: Lifespan)
Charles Darwin is well-known for his pioneering theory of evolution, but far less is known about some of his later work, such as delving into experimental psychology. While researching his book, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals (1872), Darwin corresponded with a French neurologist, G.B.A. Duchenne. Duchenne conducted experiments on human facial expression of emotion by applying electrical stimulation directly to facial muscles. He produced a set of 65 photographic plates to show his belief that there are different muscles in the face that are responsible for every single, discrete emotion.
Darwin studied Duchenne's work closely and doubted this view. He believed there was a smaller set core of emotions commonly expressed cross-culturally. As a result, Darwin designed and conducted a truly novel scientific test of Duchenne's claim in what may be the first ever single-blind study of the recognition of human facial expression of emotion.
Snyder, who is vice president of research for Lifespan, began an in-depth study of this experiment and relied on what is believed to be previously unpublished notes recorded by Darwin with the help of his wife, Emma.
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Authors: Peter J. Snyder a; Rebecca Kaufman b; John Harrison c;Paul Maruff d
Affiliations:
Affiliations:
a Lifespan Affiliated Hospitals & Department of Neurology, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
b Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI
c Division of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Imperial College, London, UK and CogState, Ltd., Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
d Centre for Neuroscience, University of Melbourne and CogState, Ltd., Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
DOI: 10.1080/09647040903506679
Publication Frequency: 4 issues per year
Published in: Journal of the History of the Neurosciences, Volume 19, Issue 2 April 2010 , pages 158 - 170
b Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI
c Division of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Imperial College, London, UK and CogState, Ltd., Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
d Centre for Neuroscience, University of Melbourne and CogState, Ltd., Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
DOI: 10.1080/09647040903506679
Publication Frequency: 4 issues per year
Published in: Journal of the History of the Neurosciences, Volume 19, Issue 2 April 2010 , pages 158 - 170
Abstract
In the late 1860s and early 1870s, Darwin had corresponded with the French physician and physiologist, G. B. A. Duchenne, regarding Duchenne's experimental manipulation of human facial expression of emotion, by applying Galvanic electrical stimulation directly to facial muscles. Duchenne had produced a set of over 60 photographic plates to illustrate his view that there are different muscles in the human face that are separately responsible for each individual emotion. Darwin studied this material very carefully and he received permission from Duchenne in 1871 to reproduce several of these images in The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals (1872). Darwin had doubted Duchenne's view that there were individual muscle groups that mediate the expression of dozens of separable emotions, and he wondered whether there might instead be a fewer set of core emotions that are expressed with great stability worldwide and across cultures. Prompted by his doubts regarding the veracity of Duchenne's model, Darwin conducted what may have been the first-ever single-blind study of the recognition of human facial expression of emotion. This single experiment was a little-known forerunner for an entire modern field of study with contemporary clinical relevance. Moreover, his specific question about cross-cultural recognition of the cardinal emotions in faces is a topic that is being actively studied (in the twenty-first century) with the hope of developing novel biomarkers to aid the discovery of new therapies for the treatment of schizophrenia, autism, and other neuropsychiatric diseases.
In the late 1860s and early 1870s, Darwin had corresponded with the French physician and physiologist, G. B. A. Duchenne, regarding Duchenne's experimental manipulation of human facial expression of emotion, by applying Galvanic electrical stimulation directly to facial muscles. Duchenne had produced a set of over 60 photographic plates to illustrate his view that there are different muscles in the human face that are separately responsible for each individual emotion. Darwin studied this material very carefully and he received permission from Duchenne in 1871 to reproduce several of these images in The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals (1872). Darwin had doubted Duchenne's view that there were individual muscle groups that mediate the expression of dozens of separable emotions, and he wondered whether there might instead be a fewer set of core emotions that are expressed with great stability worldwide and across cultures. Prompted by his doubts regarding the veracity of Duchenne's model, Darwin conducted what may have been the first-ever single-blind study of the recognition of human facial expression of emotion. This single experiment was a little-known forerunner for an entire modern field of study with contemporary clinical relevance. Moreover, his specific question about cross-cultural recognition of the cardinal emotions in faces is a topic that is being actively studied (in the twenty-first century) with the hope of developing novel biomarkers to aid the discovery of new therapies for the treatment of schizophrenia, autism, and other neuropsychiatric diseases.
Keywords: Charles Darwin; emotion; facial expression; Duchenne; human faces
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