Current and Future Perspectives in Facial Expression Research: Topics and Medological Questions

The book consists of international contributions to current scientific approaches in facial expression research. The contributions are based on the presentations held at the Inter¬national Meeting "Current and Futures Perspectives in Facial Expression Research: Topics and Methodological Questions" at the Institute of Psychology/University of Innsbruck in September 2007. The authors present important topics in facial expression research ran¬ging from studies in the field of clinical psychology, the relation between laughing/smiling and humour, facial expressions in chimpanzees and approaches from developmental and social psychology. Furthermore, there is a methodological focus in the book reflecting ad¬vantages, challenges, problems and different approaches in using the Facial Action Coding System (FACS) by Ekman, Friesen & Hager (2002). Throughout the book the discussion of assigning emotional meaning to observable facial behaviour presents a major line of rea¬soning. The book closes with an experts' discussion on current and future perspectives in facial expression research. This book will be valuable for experts in FACS-Research but should also be of interest to students and young researchers in this field reflecting the most important methodological issues in the field of facial behaviour research.