Something to smile about: The interrelationship between attractiveness and emotional expression

Golle, Jessika Kessy; Mast, Fred W.; Lobmaier, Janek S. (2013). Something to smile about: The interrelationship between attractiveness and emotional expression. Cognition and emotion, 28(2), pp. 298-310. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group 10.1080/02699931.2013.817383

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Previous studies have suggested a link between the processing of the emotional expression of a face and how attractive it appears. In two experiments we investigated the interrelationship between attractiveness and happiness. In Experiment 1 we presented morphed faces varying in attractiveness and happiness and asked participants to choose the more attractive of two simultaneously presented faces. In the second experiment we used the same stimuli as in Experiment 1 and asked participants to choose the happier face. The results of Experiment 1 revealed that the evaluation of attractiveness is strongly influenced by the intensity of a smile expressed on a face: A happy facial expression could even compensate for relative unattractiveness. Conversely, the findings of Experiment 2 showed that facial attractiveness also influences the evaluation of happiness: It was easier to choose the happier of two faces if the happier face was also more attractive. We discuss the interrelationship of happiness and attractiveness with regard to evolutionary relevance of positive affective status and rewarding effects.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

07 Faculty of Human Sciences > Institute of Psychology > Cognitive Psychology, Perception and Methodology
10 Strategic Research Centers > Center for Cognition, Learning and Memory (CCLM)
07 Faculty of Human Sciences > Institute of Psychology > Cognitive Psychology, Perception and Methodology > Biologische Psychologie (SNF) [discontinued]

UniBE Contributor:

Golle, Jessika Kessy, Mast, Fred, Lobmaier, Janek Simon

Subjects:

100 Philosophy > 150 Psychology

ISSN:

0269-9931

Publisher:

Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group

Language:

English

Submitter:

Jeannette Gatschet

Date Deposited:

07 May 2014 17:02

Last Modified:

02 Mar 2023 23:24

Publisher DOI:

10.1080/02699931.2013.817383

PubMed ID:

23875865

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.49220

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/49220

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