Emotion induction in young and old persons on watching movie segments: Facial expressions reflect subjective ratings

Abstract

Film clips are established to induce or intensify mood states in young persons. Fewer studies address induction of mood states in old persons. Analysis of facial expression provides an opportunity to substantiate subjective mood states with a psychophysiological variable. We investigated healthy young (YA; n = 29; age 24.4 ± 2.3) and old (OA; n = 28; age 69.2 ± 7.4) participants. Subjects were exposed to film segments validated in young adults to induce four basic emotions (anger, disgust, happiness, sadness). We analyzed subjective mood states with a 7-step Likert scale and facial expressions with an automated system for analysis of facial expressions (FaceReader™ 7.0, Noldus Information Technology b.v.) for both the four target emotions as well as concomitant emotions. Mood expressivity was analysed with the Berkeley Expressivity Questionnaire (BEQ) and the Short Suggestibility Scale (SSS). Subjective mood intensified in all target emotions in the whole group and both YA and OA subgroups. Facial expressions of mood intensified in the whole group for all target emotions except sadness. Induction of happiness was associated with a decrease of sadness in both subjective and objective assessment. Induction of sadness was observed with subjective assessment and accompanied by a decrease of happiness in both subjective and objective assessment. Regression analysis demonstrated pre-exposure facial expressions and personality factors (BEQ, SSS) to be associated with the intensity of facial expression on mood induction. We conclude that mood induction is successful regardless of age. Analysis of facial expressions complement self-assessment of mood and may serve as a means of objectification of mood change. The concordance between self-assessment of mood change and facial expression is modulated by personality factors.

How movies move us – movie preferences are linked to differences in neuronal emotion processing of fear and anger: an fMRI study

“…To this day, various scholars share Munsterberg’s opinion and highlight the emotional experience as the key to keeping the audience absorbed and entertained by movies ( Tan, 1996 , 2018 ; Smith, 2003 ). Moreover, emotions elicited by movies and those triggered by real-life events have shown similarities on a physiological (e.g., electrodermal activity and heart rate, Hubert and De Jong-Meyer, 1991 ); expressional (e.g., facial expressions, Zempelin et al, 2021 ), neuronal (e.g., fear, Hudson et al, 2020 ) and behavioral level (e.g., startle response, Koukounas and McCabe, 2001 ); freezing response, Hagenaars et al, 2014 ). Furthermore, movies have been proven to induce emotional states effectively in experimental settings ( Fernández-Aguilar et al, 2019 ).…”