Infant Smiling Dynamics And Perceived Infant Smiling Dynamics And Perceived Positive EmotionPositive Emotion

D. Messinger, T. Cassel, Z. Ambadar, & J. Cohn D. Messinger, T. Cassel, Z. Ambadar, & J. Cohn

Facial Expression as a Window on Perceptual-CognitiveFacial Expression as a Window on Perceptual-CognitiveProcessing, Hedonics, & Affective Communication in InfantsProcessing, Hedonics, & Affective Communication in Infants

July, 2008July, 2008

The 12th European Conference On Facial ExpressionUniversity of Geneva, Switzerland

What Infant Smiles Tell Us About What Infant Smiles Tell Us About Positive Emotion: An Automated ApproachPositive Emotion: An Automated Approach

How do infants smile?How do infants smile? Smile strength Smile strength (AU12)(AU12)

Cheek Raise / Eye Constriction Cheek Raise / Eye Constriction (AU6)(AU6)

Lip Parting - Mouth Opening Lip Parting - Mouth Opening (AUs 25/26/27)(AUs 25/26/27)

How are actions associated How are actions associated in timein time?? Do they predict rated positive emotion?Do they predict rated positive emotion?

Not Yes/No, but how much?

Now: Feature Point Tracking

AFA3

Automated MeasurementAutomated Measurement

Later Today:OtherApproaches

OtherTopics

AFA4 + …

Smile

Strength

Mouth

Opening

Range .54 - .96 53 - .96

Mean .76 .83

Reliability Correlations: Reliability Correlations: Manual FACS & Automated AFA3Manual FACS & Automated AFA3

Infant Sequence Duration

Seconds

Smile Duration

Seconds

A 6 4

B 6 6

C 8 6

D 15 14

E 6 5

Lengthy SmilesLengthy Smiles

Manual/Ordinal FACS PerspectiveManual/Ordinal FACS PerspectiveSome Ebb And Flow In These SmilesSome Ebb And Flow In These Smiles

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

C

C C C C

C

C

S

S

S S S

S

S

O

O

OO

OO

O

Infant A

Z-Sc

ore

-3

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

4Infant B Infant C Infant D Infant E

Z-Score

-3

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

4

Smile Strength; Mouth Opening; Positive Emotion: Undergrad.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

CS

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

O

O

O

O

O OO

OO

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011 1213 1415

C C C C

C

C C C C

C

C

C C

C

C CCS

S

S S

S

S S

S

S S S

S S S

S

SS

OO

OO O

O

O

O O O

O

O

O

O

O OO

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Codes & Ratings

0

1

2

3

4

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

OO O

O

OO

OO

Cheek Raising; Positive Emotion:CSmile Strength;S Mouth Opening;O

Seconds0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Code

s &

Ratin

gs

0

1

2

3

4

C C C C C C

C

S S

S

S S S

S

O O O O O O

O

Undergrad.Parent

Ord

inal

Con

tinuo

us

psy.miami.edu/faculty/dmessinger/psy.miami.edu/faculty/dmessinger/

Continuous/Automated Perspective:Ebb And Flow In These Smiles

AU6 (Manual)

Mouth OpeningAuto/Manual

Smile StrengthAuto/Manual

.68 .58

Actions Associated In TimeActions Associated In Time

.21/.51

Half SpeedHalf Speed

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Vertical bars are the standard deviations of the parent sample.

Students & parents rate images similarly

Students & Parents Rating Still Images

Students & Parents Rating Still Images

Pos

itiv

e F

eeli

ng

Automated: Mean of Smile Strength & Mouth Opening

Automated Measurements Automated Measurements Positive Ratings of Positive Ratings of ImagesImages

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Emotion Ratings Of Non-expert ObserversEmotion Ratings Of Non-expert Observers

Switch to mouse control

Rating Cursor

Scaling Bar

PictureFrame

Menu

Figure 1. Screenshot of Continuous Rating Software

Positive Positive Emotional Emotional ValenceValenceRatingsRatings

Continuous Measurements Predict Continuous Emotion Ratings

Emotion as a Continuous ProcessEmotion as a Continuous Process

Infant interactive smiles can be lengthyInfant interactive smiles can be lengthy They involve the movement of actions linked They involve the movement of actions linked

in timein time Smile strength, AU6, Mouth OpeningSmile strength, AU6, Mouth Opening

All actions predict rated positive emotion All actions predict rated positive emotion (univariate)(univariate) Smile strength and mouth opening predict Smile strength and mouth opening predict

independentlyindependently Infant positive emotion is a multipeaked Infant positive emotion is a multipeaked

process with several linked indicesprocess with several linked indices

Issues for later todayIssues for later today

MeasurementMeasurement InteractionInteraction

Thanks!

BabyFACS Matrix (3 + None)BabyFACS Matrix (3 + None)

BabyFACS MatrixBabyFACS Matrix

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