From Emotions Revealed: Recognizing Faces and Feelings to Improve Communication and Emotional Life

Paul Ekman

Adelphi University, University of Chicago, New York University

Personal response:

Ekman said, “Must we learn what a smile means, or is it something we are born with?” On page 254, Ekman states his conclusion regarding this issue. He states, “Many were not happy with what we found they were convinced that human behavior is all nurture not nature; expression must be different in each culture, despite my evidence.” What do you think about Nature versus nurture? In your opinion, is emotion different within cultures, or is it universal, or both?

From Emotions Revealed: Recognizing Faces and Feelings to Improve Communication and Emotional Life, Paul Ekman conducted a study in New Guinea to prove that emotions are universal. He chose New Guinea because it is an isolated country; the people have totally different costumes. So if he was able to provide evidence that the people of New Guinea implicated those same emotions, that Americans did. Then indeed emotions are innate. Ekman displayed serval different facial expression followed along with a story. The participants were told to match the picture with the story. Following, evidence from the study demonstrates that emotions are universal and come natural to all people.

Based upon the study that Ekman conducted, and my own personal experience I agree that emotions are nature oppose to nurture. Emotions are not something you learn; it comes natural to all people. You can mask or hide your emotions but the underlying emotion is something that still appears to be natural. Thus, I agree that culture, and your surroundings have a strong impact on the way a person reacts to certain situations. But that emotion that they evoke is something that cannot be taught in a classroom. Generally speaking humankind tend to relate a sad face with something unpleasing, and a happy face with something flattering. Therefore, emotions are universal and something that humankind shares.

The following image below is a baby crying. Just like in the reading, From Emotions Revealed: Recognizing Faces and Feelings to Improve Communication and Emotional Life, almost anyone can look at this photo and tell a story that exemplifies sadness or frustration. It is something that all humans share, and have the ability to understand emotions and feel it.