ABSTRACT

A number of prominent theories have linked tendencies to mimick others’ facial movements to empathy and facial emotion recognition, but evidence for such links is uneven. We conducted a meta-analysis of correlations of facial mimicry with empathy and facial emotion recognition skills. Other factors were also examined for moderating influence, e.g. facets of empathy measured, facial muscles recorded, and facial emotions being mimicked. Summary effects were estimated with a random-effects model and a meta-regression analysis was used to identify factors moderating these effects. 162 effects from 28 studies were submitted. The summary effect size indicated a significant weak positive relationship between facial mimicry and empathy, but not facial emotion recognition. The moderator analysis revealed that stronger correlations between facial mimicry and empathy were observed for static vs. dynamic facial stimuli, and for implicit vs. explicit instances of facial emotion processing. No differences were seen between facial emotions, facial muscles, emotional and cognitive facets of empathy, or state and trait measures of empathy. The results support the claim that stronger facial mimicry responses are positively related to higher dispositions for empathy, but the weakness and variability of this effect suggest that this relationship is conditional on not-fully understood factors.

摘要

许多著名的理论将模仿他人面部动作与共情和面部情感识别相联系，但是这种联系的证据并不均衡。我们进行了面部模仿与移情和面部情感识别技能的相关性的荟萃分析。还检查了其他因素的缓和影响，例如，共情的方面，所记录的面部肌肉和模仿的面部情绪。使用随机效应模型估算汇总效应，并使用Meta回归分析来确定调节这些效应的因素。提交了来自28个研究的162种作用。总结效应大小表明面部模仿和同情之间存在显着的弱正相关关系，但没有面部情感识别。主持人分析显示，在静态与动态面部刺激以及面部情感处理的隐性与显性实例之间，观察到了面部模仿与同情之间的更强相关性。在面部表情，面部肌肉，情感和认知方面的移情或状态和特质的移情方法之间没有发现差异。结果支持这样的说法，即面部模仿反应越强，同情心的倾向就越高，但这种作用的弱点和易变性表明，这种关系取决于尚未完全了解的因素。移情的情感和认知方面，或移情的状态和特质度量。结果支持这样的说法，即面部模仿反应越强，同情心的倾向就越高，但这种作用的弱点和易变性表明，这种关系取决于尚未完全了解的因素。移情的情感和认知方面，或移情的状态和特质度量。结果支持这样的说法，即面部模仿反应越强，同情心的倾向就越高，但这种作用的弱点和易变性表明，这种关系取决于尚未完全了解的因素。