Rejoinder to Ekman, O'Sullivan, and Matsumoto

Abstract

Each of the issues raised by Ekman, O'Sullivan, and Matsumoto is discussed. The relativity thesis, and the evidence on which it is based, emphasizes the issue of ecological validity. In the study of judgments of emotion from facial expression, the question of what occurs spontaneously in natural settings, rather than the question of the accuracy of those judgments, will lead to studies capable of resolving current debates.