Cited by 1,640Face Recognition and PerceptionCultural Differences and ValuesEmotion and Mood Recognition

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Is there universal recognition of emotion from facial expression? A review of the cross-cultural studies.

Russell, James A.·1994·Psychological Bulletin

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Abstract

Emotions are universally recognized from facial expressions--or so it has been claimed. To support that claim, research has been carried out in various modern cultures and in cultures relatively isolated from Western influence. A review of the methods used in that research raises questions of its ecological, convergent, and internal validity. Forced-choice response format, within-subject design, preselected photographs of posed facial expressions, and other features of method are each problematic. When they are altered, less supportive or nonsupportive results occur. When they are combined, these method factors may help to shape the results. Facial expressions and emotion labels are probably associated, but the association may vary with culture and is loose enough to be consistent with various alternative accounts, 8 of which are discussed.

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BackgroundMethodInfluential
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Method
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“…a plethora of methods ranging from basic, such as simple presentation, to complex methods, such as dynamic morphing to explore how to improve cross-cultural emotional recognition (Calvo & D ’ Mello, 2010; Kask & Bull, 2009; Russell, 1994; Sutherland et al., 2017; see also Dawel et al., 2021).”
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“…universally recognizable (Ekman and Friesen, 1976; Ekman et al., 1987; Izard, 1994; Elfenbein and Ambady, 2002; but see also Matsumoto, 1992, and Russell, 1994, for the influence of the culture and language on recognition of emotion from facial expressions), these expressions (dynamic facial…”
Background
Development and Validation of Basic Virtual Human Facial Emotion Expressions
Vicente-Querol, M. Á., García, A. S., Fernández-Sotos, P., Rodríguez–Jiménez, R., & Fernández‐Caballero, A. (2019) · Lecture notes in computer science · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-19591-5_23 · Cited by 7
Trajectory of the Recognition of Basic Emotions in the Neurodevelopment of Children and Its Evaluation Through the “Recognition of Basic Emotions in Childhood” Test (REBEC)
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“What is conclusive is that the information processing involved in a labeling task represents a type of processing similar to the process that takes place in everyday life (Russell, 1994; Gao and Maurer, 2009; Widen, 2012).”
Background
Anger and Sadness Expressions Situated in Both Positive and Negative Contexts: An Investigation in South Korea and the United States
Song, S. Y., Curtis, A., & Aragón, O. R. (2021) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.579509 · Cited by 10
“…almost definitional understanding of expression-experience Frontiers in Psychology | www.frontiersin.org 1 January 2021 | Volume 11 | Article 579509 fpsyg-11-579509 January 4, 2021 Time: 15:48 # 2 Song et al. Expressions in SK and US correspondence observable in our world today (Russell, 1994).”
BackgroundMethod
La emoción y el sentimiento: más allá de una diferencia de contenido
Buitrago, D. (2021) · Digithum · doi:10.7238/d.0i26.374140 · Cited by 14
The dynamic mask: Facial correlates of character portrayal in professional actors
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“A prominent example is the “core affect” theory and its structural analogue—the circumplex model—which have been used to examine the distribution of emotions along the two emotion dimensions of valence (the pleasure–displeasure continuum) and arousal (the activation–deactivation continuum) (Posner, Russell, & Peterson…”
Background
Lesions and reduced working memory impair emotion recognition in self and others
Neumann, R., Völker, J., Hajba, Z., & Seiler, S. (2021) · Cognition & Emotion · doi:10.1080/02699931.2021.1983521 · Cited by 7
Schizotypy, Alexithymia and Affect as predictors of Facial Emotion Recognition Capability using static and dynamic images
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An Expert System for Human Personality Characteristics Recognition
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Facial emotion recognition in schizophrenia: A comparison with siblings and control subjects
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Music's Impact on the Visual Perception of Emotional Dyadic Interactions
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Le bon dieu est dans le detail: Is smiling the recognition of happiness?
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The Role of the Visual System in Emotion Perception
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“Although the evidence has been widely challenged in recent years, especially on methodological grounds (Russell 1994; Naab and Russell 2007), it is clear that there is a sense in which some emotions, disgust for example, produce the same patterns of facial changes in most humans.”
Background
Emotion
PRINZ, J. J. (2012) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9781139033916.013 · Cited by 7
Levels of Structural Integration and Facial Expressions of Negative Emotions
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Untitled work
(2007) · Cited by 42

Authors: Russell, J. A.
Affiliations: University of British Columbia (CA)
Corresponding author: Russell, James A.
ORCID: Russell, James A.
Venue: Psychological Bulletin
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Published: 1994
Volume: 115
Issue: 1
Pages: 102-141
ISSN: 0033-2909 (ISSN-L)
1939-1455
DOI: 10.1037/0033-2909.115.1.102
OpenAlex: W1975238145
Cited by: 1,640
References: 168
Citations by year: 2026: 39 · 2025: 49 · 2024: 58 · 2023: 73 · 2022: 76 · 2021: 77 · 2020: 65 · 2019: 107 · 2018: 80 · 2017: 78 · 2016: 82 · 2015: 72 · 2014: 67 · 2013: 77 · 2012: 66
FWCI: 12.66
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: Psychological Bulletin (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics: Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Face Recognition and Perception
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Cultural Differences and Values
Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Artificial Intelligence › Emotion and Mood Recognition
Keywords: facial expressions, emotion recognition, universal emotions, cross-cultural comparison, within-subjects design, ecological validity, convergent validity, internal validity, emotion labels, cultural variation in emotion
MeSH terms: Cross-Cultural Comparison, Discrimination, Psychological, Emotions, Facial Expression, Humans, Judgment, Research Design, Visual Perception

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Is there universal recognition of emotion from facial expression? A review of the cross-cultural studies.

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