The Duchenne's Illusion Monique de Bonis 1 , Monique Nahas 1 CNRS, & 2 Université Paris 8, France CNRS, 9 rue Léon Vaudoyer, Paris F-75007, France E-mail: Monique.Debonis@Kb.u-psud.fr
Summary The work of Duchenne: "Mechanism of the human physionomy. An electrophysiological analysis of expression of passions" 1862 is well known all over the world as a major contribution to emotion research through facial expression. The present six-minute short movie provides a look to an unknown aspect of his contribution to psychology: The discovery of illusory perceptions in facial affect. Extending the work of Duchenne with modern techniques of computer graphics and numerical image technology we show how to create virtual expressions (the chimeric faces). These non invasive techniques open a window on the study of the complex influences of facial features in emotion perception.
Synopsis The short movie is divided in three main sections: Illustration of Duchenne's initial scope: Description of the "orthograph of passions", the making of chimeric expresssions through the electrical stimulation of separate facial muscles. The serendipitous discovery of an optico-geometrical illusion in facial affect perception as described in Duchnne's words. Extension of Duchenne's work with numerical image technology. Several mixtures of the upper and lower parts of a face, expressing different emotions are shown, that give rise to the perception of complex emotions in the eyes of the observer. SYNOPSIS THE ORTHOGRAPH OF PASSIONS From the Duchenne's Album 1-Displays of uni and bilateral electrical stimulation of one single facial muscle and one part of the face. Separate electrical stimulation of the corrugator and the zygomatic 2-The making of chimeric or mixed expressions: False-smile, surprised-smile, sad-smile, sadneutral expressions.
The Duchenne's Illusion Monique de Bonis 1 , Monique Nahas 1 CNRS, & 2 Université Paris 8, France CNRS, 9 rue Léon Vaudoyer, Paris F-75007, France E-mail: Monique.Debonis@Kb.u-psud.fr
Summary The work of Duchenne: "Mechanism of the human physionomy. An electrophysiological analysis of expression of passions" 1862 is well known all over the world as a major contribution to emotion research through facial expression. The present six-minute short movie provides a look to an unknown aspect of his contribution to psychology: The discovery of illusory perceptions in facial affect. Extending the work of Duchenne with modern techniques of computer graphics and numerical image technology we show how to create virtual expressions (the chimeric faces). These non invasive techniques open a window on the study of the complex influences of facial features in emotion perception.
Synopsis The short movie is divided in three main sections: Illustration of Duchenne's initial scope: Description of the "orthograph of passions", the making of chimeric expresssions through the electrical stimulation of separate facial muscles. The serendipitous discovery of an optico-geometrical illusion in facial affect perception as described in Duchnne's words. Extension of Duchenne's work with numerical image technology. Several mixtures of the upper and lower parts of a face, expressing different emotions are shown, that give rise to the perception of complex emotions in the eyes of the observer. SYNOPSIS THE ORTHOGRAPH OF PASSIONS From the Duchenne's Album 1-Displays of uni and bilateral electrical stimulation of one single facial muscle and one part of the face. Separate electrical stimulation of the corrugator and the zygomatic 2-The making of chimeric or mixed expressions: False-smile, surprised-smile, sad-smile, sadneutral expressions.
As summarizes it the film l'illusion de Duchenne:
The replacement of both parts of a facial expression can produce a perception:
-Of an authentic emotion in spite of an incomplete information,
- an emergent emotion which is neither that of the height, nor that of the bottom,
-of an expression without emotional meaning.
