L'INFLUENZA DELLA CULTURA NELLA COMUNICAZIONE NON VERBALE DELLE EMOZIONI: LE ESPRESSIONI FACCIALI

This paper examines a series of contributions which, starting from the hypothesis that sees the expressions of emotions as universally perceived and codified, instead support a culture-specific influence on these processes. Starting from a contextualization relating to the theme of culture and non-verbal behavior, we proceed to the analysis of expressions regarding the differences between collectivistic and individualistic cultures, on a possible ingroup advantage in recognizing the emotions of one's ethnic group and the cultural modeling in mental representations of facial expressions of emotions. Afterwards, an analytical study is taken into consideration regarding the perception and categorization of emotions which, however, is against the current hypothesis, offers interesting cue, especially included in the diversity between the upper and lower part of the face. Lastly, the dichotomy between universality and cultural influence in the field of facial asymmetry and hemispheric laterality is analyzed, exploring how subjects perceive emotions differently based on the presented hemifacial composites (RR, LL, LR).