AIRS 4th Annual Meeting: 2012

Title: The Effect of Restricted Facial Mimicry on the Perception of Emotional Song
Authors: Lisa P. Chan (Department of Psychology, Ryerson University), Frank Russo
(Department of Psychology, Ryerson University)

Abstract

During vocal communication, faces continuously move and express linguistic, musical, and
affective information (Munhall et al., 2004; Thompson, Russo & Livingstone, 2010). Subtle
mirroring of visual aspects of singing performance has been shown through use of facial
electromyography of observers (Livingstone, Thompson & Russo, 2009; Chan, 2010). According
to the facial feedback hypothesis, producing a facial expression of emotion leads to the
experience of that emotion. Thus, by unconsciously mimicking facial expressions, observers
may have rapid access to the performer’s intentionality. However, it is not known whether
mimicry is necessary to understand emotion in song. To better understand the role of facial
mimicry in emotional understanding, we examined aspects of facial animation of the observer
and the effect of constraining facial movements on emotional and non-emotional judgments. It
was hypothesized that the lack of facial mimicry would only hinder emotion-based judgments.
Participants were given two judgment tasks (emotional, non-emotional) while their facial
movements were either restricted by a clay-based mask (Mask condition) or not (No Mask
condition). In the emotional judgment task, participants were asked to identify the emotional
intent (happiness, neutral, sadness) and intensity of a singer. In the non-emotional judgment
task, participants were asked to identify non-isochronous rhythms. Both groups did not differ
in their performance of emotion identification. Interestingly, though, there was an effect of
condition on average emotional intensity scores; participants in the Mask condition rated the
emotions as significantly less intense than those in the No Mask condition. It was also found
that both groups did not differ in their performance of rhythmic judgment. These results
suggest that while facial mimicry may not be necessary to identify simple emotions (e.g.,
happiness, sadness), lacking the ability to mimic may dampen the intensity of perceived
emotions, which may have effects on an observer's experience of musical performances.