Looking angry and sounding sad: The perceptual analysis of emotional expression

Abstract

According to the Perceptual Analysis of Emotional Expression, behaviors express emotions by making them perceptually manifest. A smile is an expression of joy because an observer who sees a smile can see joy. A pout is an expression of grief because an observer who sees a pout can see grief. And a growl is an expression of anger because an observer who hears a growl can hear anger. The idea is not simply that expressions can enable the perception of emotion, but that expressions essentially do so. In the course of defending this analysis against challenges, I develop a novel account of the relationship between language and expression.