Family Faces
By Helen Potter
Do you gurn like your gran, smirk like your sibling or raise your eyebrow like that slightly eccentric uncle no-one mentions? Whatever you may think, the chances are that you do.
Evolutionary biologists at the University of Haifa have discovered that facial expressions run in the family. Up until now, most evidence for familial quirks has been anecdotal, such as the case related by Charles Darwin of a father and son both smashing themselves in the faces whilst asleep.
The study compared the facial expressions of 21 people who had been blind from birth and thus had never seen their relatives' faces and those of 1 or 2 sighted relatives of each. The participants then related personal experiences to produce a collection of 43 facial gestures that covered sadness, anger, joy, disgust, concentration and surprise.
.jpg)
A computer was used to analyse the facial expressions of the blind participants and then placed them into one of two groups of families. If facial gestures were not inherited, it would be expected that the computer would only put the individual in the same group as its appropriate family members 50% of the time. Instead the computer got it right 80% of the time.
The highest percentage of correct assignments was for angry faces whilst joy and sadness were least likely to match up correctly.
The question now is: what is the evolutionary advantage in you looking like your relatives? Send your ideas to us using the form below.
To read more about Helen or to view more of her articles click here.
Evolutionary biologists at the University of Haifa have discovered that facial expressions run in the family. Up until now, most evidence for familial quirks has been anecdotal, such as the case related by Charles Darwin of a father and son both smashing themselves in the faces whilst asleep.
The study compared the facial expressions of 21 people who had been blind from birth and thus had never seen their relatives' faces and those of 1 or 2 sighted relatives of each. The participants then related personal experiences to produce a collection of 43 facial gestures that covered sadness, anger, joy, disgust, concentration and surprise.
A computer was used to analyse the facial expressions of the blind participants and then placed them into one of two groups of families. If facial gestures were not inherited, it would be expected that the computer would only put the individual in the same group as its appropriate family members 50% of the time. Instead the computer got it right 80% of the time.
The highest percentage of correct assignments was for angry faces whilst joy and sadness were least likely to match up correctly.
The question now is: what is the evolutionary advantage in you looking like your relatives? Send your ideas to us using the form below.
Image: Vicky S/SXC
To read more about Helen or to view more of her articles click here.
Share this
