The Expression of Determination: Similarities Between Anger and Approach-related Positive Affect
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Date
2011-02-22
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Abstract
This study examines the valence and motivational direction components of affect
using facial expressions of determination, anger and joy. Determination is a positive,
approach-related emotion; anger is a negative, approach-related emotion; and joy is a
positive, low-approach emotion. Thus, determination and anger share a motivational
direction, but determination and joy share a valence. Participants created facial
expressions intended to express joy, anger, fear, sadness, disgust and determination.
Naive judges attempted to identify these expressions. Correct identifications of intended
determination expressions were positively correlated with misidentifications of the
expressions as anger, suggesting that determination is perceived as more similar to anger
than to joy. This emphasizes the importance of the motivational component of emotion,
as distinct from the valence of emotion.
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Keywords
Facial Expressions, Determination, Anger, Approach Motivation, Positive Affect