Facial Expressions 'Not Global'

A new study suggests that people from different cultures read facial expressions differently. East Asian participants in the study focused mostly on the eyes, but those from the West scanned the whole face. The research, carried out by a team from Glasgow University, challenges the idea facial expressions are universally understood.

In the study, East Asians were more likely than Westerners to read the expression for 'fear' as 'surprise,' and 'disgust' as 'anger.' The researchers say the confusion arises because people from different cultural groups observe different parts of the face when interpreting expression.