The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals
- Language:
- English
- Status:
- Complete work
- Authorship:
- Written by the author
- Condition of the text:
- No scanning noise detected (automatic measure over the whole text, not checked by hand)
- Extent:
- ~120,000 words · 550 passages
Cite this work
- APACharles Darwin. (n.d.). The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. Digital reproduction: SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/charles-darwin/the-expression-of-the-emotions-in-man-and-animals
- MLACharles Darwin. The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. Digital reproduction, SigPhi, https://sigphiai.com/en/works/charles-darwin/the-expression-of-the-emotions-in-man-and-animals.
- ChicagoCharles Darwin. The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. Digital reproduction, SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/charles-darwin/the-expression-of-the-emotions-in-man-and-animals.
Reference to the edition that SigPhi reproduces: SigPhi is its digital reproduction, not its publisher. The edition's year is not in the metadata (hence "n.d."), and the translator appears only when recorded.
What it is about
The 1872 book in which Darwin argues that the expressions of face and body are inherited, common to all peoples, and continuous with those of animals.
Context and history
The argument is a piece of evolution applied where nobody expected it: if the smile, anger or shame were cultural conventions, every people would have its own; if they are the remains of actions that once served some purpose, they must be the same everywhere. Darwin tested this by sending a questionnaire to missionaries and settlers around the world, by watching his own children from the cradle, and by visiting asylums and zoos. It is the first scientific book illustrated with photographs, and some are among the earliest photographs of expression in existence. It was forgotten for a century and recovered by the psychology of the 1970s; the argument about how far he was right is still going on.
Editorial context, not a citable source: unlike the passages of the work itself, these statements cannot be checked against the corpus.
looked through Dr. Duchenne’s photographs, reading at the same time the text, and thus learning what was intended, I was struck with admiration at the truthfulness of all, with only a few exceptions. Nevertheless, if I had examined them without any explanation, no doubt I should have been as much perplexed, in some cases, as other persons have been. Fourthly, I had hoped to derive much aid from the great masters in painting and sculpture, who are such close observers. Accordingly, I have looked at photographs and engravings of many well-known works; but, with a few exceptions, have not thus profited. The reason no doubt is, that in works of art, beauty is the chief object; and strongly contracted facial muscles destroy beauty.[19] The story of the composition is generally told with wonderful force and truth by skilfully given accessories. Fifthly, it seemed to me highly important to ascertain whether the same expressions and gestures prevail, as has often been asserted without much evidence, with all the races of mankind, especially with those who have associated but little with Europeans. Whenever the same movements of the features or body express the same emotions in several distinct races of man, we may infer with much probability, that such expressions are true ones,—that is, are innate or instinctive. Conventional expressions or gestures, acquired by the individual during early life, would probably have differed in the different races, in the same manner as do their languages. Accordingly I circulated, early in the year 1867, the following printed queries with a request, which has been fully responded to, that actual observations, and not memory, might be trusted. These queries were written after a considerable interval of time, during which my attention had been otherwise directed, and I can now see that they might have been greatly improved. To some of the later copies, I appended, in manuscript, a few additional remarks:— (1.…