Over the last couple of months, there has been a surge in stories about so-called “creepy clowns” prowling the streets. This trend has caused mild panic as schools fear about the effect on children, and even the White House has weighed in. Terrifyingly, one such clown, with rainbow polka dots and curly blue hair even…
Read MoreFacial Recognition and Understanding Emotional Expressions
When you recognize a friend’s face, how do you know? Do you make a careful study of their nose and cheekbones? Are you thrown off if they don’t wear the usual expression? The vast majority of people probably scoffed at those questions. Facial recognition isn’t a matter of careful study, but instead it is an…
Read MoreReading Past the Words During a Presidential Debate
Who are Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump really? The second presidential debate was held last night. After watching the first presidential debate on September 26, Humintell’s own Dr. David Matsumoto offered his expert opinion on how each candidate’s mannerisms could be perceived by voters. He urged us to imagine watching these debates without sound, stripping…
Read MoreFair or Unfair? Facial Cues Influence How Social Exclusion is Judged
People are often excluded from social groups. As researchers from the University of Basel in Switzerland report in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, whether uninvolved observers find this acceptable or not may depend on the facial appearances of those excluded. The exclusion of cold and incompetent looking people is more likely to be accepted.…
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