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Motiv Emot (2014) 38:700714 DOI 10.1007/s11031-014-9410-9
ORIGINAL PAPER
Background factors predicting accuracy and improvement in micro expression recognition
Carolyn M. Hurley Ashley E. Anker
Mark G. Frank David Matsumoto
Hyisung C. Hwang
Published online: 4 June 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014
Abstract Micro expressions are brief facial expressions displayed when people attempt to conceal, hide, or repress their emotions. They are difcult to detect in real time, yet individuals who can accurately identify micro expressions receive higher workplace evaluations and can better detect deception. Two studies featuring college students and security ofcers examined background factors that may account for accuracy differences when reading micro expressions, both before and after training. Study 1 revealed that college students who were younger and high in openness to experience were better at recognizing micro expressions. However, individual differences did not predict improvement in micro expression recognition gained through training. Study 2 revealed experiential factors such as prior facial expression training and lack of law enforcement experience were more predictive of micro expression recognition than
personality or demographic factors. Individuals in both studies showed recognition improvement with training, and the implications of the ability to improve at micro expression recognition are discussed in the context of security and interpersonal situations.
Keywords Micro expression Personality Condence
Facial expression National security
Introduction
In many interpersonal contexts, individuals must make judgments as to the thoughts, feelings, and reactions of others in order to evaluate their emotions and intentions. For particular professional contextssuch as national securitythe ability to quickly and accurately interpret nonverbal signals of such emotions may provide clues as to the hostile plans of others; specically, an ofcer who can identify these clues when they rst emerge would be in a better position to prevent an attack or other hostile action.
Emotions are of particular interest because they are transient, involuntary, and unconscious bio-psycho-social reactions (Matsumoto et al. 2013), and thus, are a major source of motivation and action by providing the impulse for behavior (Frijda et al. 1989; Matsumoto et al. 2013; Tomkins 1962, 1963). Emotions are primarily expressed through the face (Darwin 1872/1998; Ekman 2003; Izard 1994) and most people can accurately interpret these expressions when they are openly displayed (Biehl et al. 1997). When these expressions become...