Invitation to Psychology

ChapTER 13 Emotion, Stress, and Health 449

What happens when facial feedback is

blocked—say, because of the cosmetic use of botu­

linum toxin­A, commonly known by the trade

name Botox, which paralyzes the facial muscles

used in frowning? In a study of 40 women who

were tested before and after having Botox injec­

tions, researchers found that Botox hindered the

women’s ability to correctly interpret sentences

evoking sadness and anger (Havas et al., 2010).

Botoxed women are also significantly less accurate

than other women at recognizing both positive

and negative emotions in photographs of human

eyes (Neal & Chartrand, 2011).

As Darwin suggested, facial expressions also

probably evolved to help us communicate our

emotional states to others and provoke a response

from them—“Come help me!” “Get away!”

being expressed: A smile tells us that we’re happy,
a frown that we’re angry or perplexed (Izard,
1990). When people are told to smile and look
pleased or happy, their positive feelings increase.
When they are asked to position their mouths in
a way that mimics a smile, their stress responses,
such as heart rate, decline—even though they
don’t realize they are smiling (Kraft & Pressman,
2012). Conversely, when people are told to look
angry, displeased, or disgusted, positive feelings
decrease. If you put on an angry face, your heart
rate will rise faster than if you put on a happy face
(Kleinke, Peterson, & Rutledge, 1998; Levenson,
Ekman, & Friesen, 1990). The next time you are
feeling sad, angry, or afraid, try purposely smiling,
even if no one is around. Keep smiling. Does facial
feedback work for you?

FIgURE 13.1 Some Universal Expressions
Most people around the world can readily identify expressions of surprise, disgust, sadness, anger, fear, happiness,
and contempt, no matter the age, culture, sex, or historical era of the person conveying the emotion.