The Purpose of Facial Expressions
Read The Purpose of Facial Expressions, an IELTS Reading practice passage. The use of facial expressions for measuring people’s emotions has dominated psychology since the late 1960s. This was when Paul Ekman of the University of California pioneered the idea that, by carefully measuring facial exp…
Passage preview
The use of facial expressions for measuring people’s emotions has dominated psychology since the late 1960s. This was when Paul Ekman of the University of California pioneered the idea that, by carefully measuring facial expression, he could evaluate people’s true emotions. Ekman carried out experiments in which people were asked to label photos of basic facial expressions - such as a smile, frown or scowl - with words for emotions. He found, for example, that a smile represented joy and a scowl represented anger. In fact, since the 1970s Ekman has dominated the field of emotion research with his theory that when an emotion occurs, a large number of electrical impulses also occur, creating specific facial expressions and other physiological changes, such as increased or decreased heart rate or heightened blood pressure.
Vocabulary from this passage
6 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- appeasement noun
The act of yielding to the demands of someone in order to avoid conflict or anger.
Offering a sincere apology can act as a powerful tool of appeasement in tense negotiations.
- elicit verb
To draw out or produce a response, reaction, or answer from someone through an action.
The speaker's emotional story was designed to elicit feelings of profound sympathy from the audience.
- inherently social adjective
Existing as a natural and permanent interactive characteristic involving relationships and communication between individuals.
Humans are inherently social creatures who rely on facial expressions to navigate complex group dynamics.
- physiological changes noun
Alterations in the normal functions and physical processes occurring within a living organism's body.
Experiencing sudden fear triggers rapid physiological changes, including an accelerated heartbeat and shallow breathing.
- pivotal point noun
A critical moment or fundamentally important juncture on which future outcomes directly depend.
The signing of the treaty marked a pivotal point in the nation's turbulent historical timeline.
- profound agreement noun
A deep, absolute, and thoroughly shared consensus or understanding between two or more opposing parties.
Despite their differing methodologies, the researchers reached a profound agreement regarding the final conclusions.