emotion expressions
Why does it look the way
it does?
This research asks why do emotion expressions look the way they do?
According to Darwin, emotion expressions look the way they do for
specifc reasons. That is, they have some sort of fitness enhancing
benefit. In collaboration with others, I've been looking for the
reasons for the expanded posture associated with the pride expression
and the slumped posture associated with the shame expression.
Evolution would not have produced universally recognized and produced emotion expressions if they did not serve some sort of purpose. This line of research looks at what function emotion expressions might have served.Specifically, the pride expression might serve a status enhancing function for the displayer and function as a learning cue for observers.
meaning research
How do we establish
meaning?
People are meaning makers. This line of research asks how we derive
meaning from the
outside world. Part of this research looks at how scientific, or
seemingly scientific theories,
provide a greater sense of meaning or purpose to supporters.
People engange in all kinds of interesting behavior when an established meaning
framework is unexpectedly violated, such as when we see a playing card where the
suit does not match the color (e.g., a black diamonds) or when we ponder our own
death. People then assimilate, accommodate, affirm, or abstract another meaning
framework.
other areas
What else do I research?
Some other areas of interest include the self, emotions, existential
anxiety, education,
social learning, evolution, religion, culture, and prejudice.
Since this animal has gained dominance over all others, it's all the
more important that it takes an honest look in the mirror, so that it
knows both the archenemy it faces and the ally that stands ready
to help it build a better world.
Frans de Waal -- Our Inner Ape