Facial Expression Sensitivity

[differenceblog]

Montagne et al (2005) found that men showed less sensitivity and less accuracy in identifying emotional facial expressions than women. Montagne's study was initiated to expand on Campbell et al's (2002) findings that women (but not men) had showed correlations between recognition of unfamiliar faces and the recognition of the facial expression of

Comments

[plumtreeblossom]

I grin like a madman when I have really upsetting news to give someone.

Very likely its a off-kilter neurological response to discomfort. I once knew someone who would double over in fits of uncontrollable laughter when seeing someone get injured or in physical emergency (as in, literally doubled over laughing while someone else in our college cafeteria was choking to death and getting a heimlich). So, it could be worse. But I wish I could say whether anything can be done about the problem or not.

[oboegoddess]

I know what you mean! I tend to have the uncontrollable urge to grin or laugh at the most inappropriate times, and it is so hard to force myselft not to, even though I'm not happy or amused whatesoever. I think it probably is a response to discomfort, as the above commenter mentions.

[beowabbit]

Well, if I ever have to get upsetting news, I hope I can hear it from you. Bad enough I have to hear upsetting news without the person giving it to me looking all grim and morose on top of it.

inappropriate reacton to negative emotional situation

[anonymous]

From my experience it is commonplace for a giggle or a grin to intrude when telling or recieving bad news, this is called cognitive dissonance.
I hadn't researched this before tonight, having stumbled upon your blog on my search for something else. This proved a fine distraction. I had always presumed my inappropriate reactions normal (not imagining myself to be so callous as to laugh at the death of a family member intentionally). this kind of shock causes a contradiction; what our bodies do : what we know they should be doing. so long as you remember this is another defense mechanism and not an abnormality you will be fine.

Re: inappropriate reacton to negative emotional situation

[differenceblog]

thanks. :)