Table 4.
Facial expressions of negative emotions: evocation, coding, and acute alcohol effects
| Emotion induced by | Reference | Facial coding method | Registered facial expressions | Main findings on alcohol effects on facial expressions | Additional findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Humorous cartoons | 67 | FACS | 12 alone, 13, 14 | Heightening alcohol effect on facial expressions of non-enjoyment in low dose condition (no differences between high dose and control) | Stimuli were judged more negatively in low-beverage group (vs other groups); correlation between rated negative affect and certain facial expressions of nonenjoyment; no alcohol × extraversion interaction |
| Panic provocation | 58 | MAX | Fear/distress score; false smiles (masking reactions) | Decreasing alcohol effect on facial expressions of fear/distress and masking behavior of fear (sum score); decreasing alcohol effect on false smiles | No alcohol effect on facial expressions of fear as single variable |
| Picture presentation (pleasant, threat, disgust) | 60 | EMG | Musculus corrugator activity | Heightening alcohol effect on facial expressions of negative emotions | No sex effect; drinking behavior × picture-type interaction trend |
| Shock-based provocation | 66 | FACS | 4, 5, 23, 24 | Heightening alcohol effect on facial expressions of anger | Anger out × beverage group × level of provocation interaction effect; anger control × beverage-group interaction effect |
| 65 | FACS | 1, 2, 4, 5, 20 | No main alcohol effect on facial expressions of anxiety | Level of provocation × trait anxiety × beverage-group interaction effect | |
| Self-disclosing speech | 62 | MAX | Gaze aversion; lip compression/lip biting; furrowed brow | Decreasing alcohol effect on facial expression of shame | Heightened alcohol effect on heart rate; no sex effects |
| 63 | FACS | 9, 10, 14, 15, 20, 1+4 | No alcohol effect on facial expressions of negative emotions | Order × beverage group interaction effect; no-beverage group × parental history of alcoholism interaction | |
| Smoking-cue exposure | 61 | 9, 10, 14, 15, 20, 1+4 | Decreasing alcohol effect on facial expressions of negative emotions during smoking-cue exposure | Marginally significant sex effect on facial expressions of negative emotions during smoking-cue exposure (women > men); time × beverage group interaction | |
| Social interaction | 93 | FACS | 9, 14, 15, 20; 12+14, 15, 23, 24 (smile control) | No alcohol effect on facial expressions of negative emotions; group racial composition × beverage-group interaction effect on smile control à elimination of group racial composition effects under alcohol | – |
| 69 | BOSIM | Frowning | Heightening alcohol effect on frowning | Frowning × child sexual abuse history interaction | |
| 72 | FACS | 9, 14, 15, 20 | Decreasing alcohol effect on AUs 9, 14, 15 | Main effect for sex on display of facial expressions (women > men) |
Abbreviation: FACS, Facial Action Coding System; MAX, maximally discriminative facial movement coding system; EMG, electromyography; BOSIM, bar-observation social interaction measure; AUs, action units.