Charles Darwin The Expression Of The Emotions In Man And Animals Analysis

A cry. A tear. A frown. Expressions like these are made voluntarily, or involuntarily. We take this ability to express our emotions for granted. It might not be possible if certain muscles were missing or malfunctioning. Being the social creatures that we are, the ability to express our emotions with a single twitch of a muscle is indispensable. Facial expressions and body language are generally more telling of a creature’s true emotional state, or its agenda. Much of these expressions are made by our sub-conscious mind, and few people question why or how we have acquired this ability.
In “The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals”, Charles Darwin discusses emotional display through sounds, movements, and facial expressions. Darwin
This refers to habits formed from repeated body reactions to certain emotions, one will tend to react in the same manner when the same emotion is induced. Here, Darwin assumes that the actions carried out are a result of the expression of an emotion and carry meaning in that sense. His second principle asserts that when an “opposite state of mind is induced, there will be a strong tendency for an involuntary act of the opposite nature”. He assumes that some emotions are diametrically opposed to a contrasting emotion. The third and last principle states that some actions are made “independent of will and to a certain extent of habit due to the stimulation of the nervous system”. Although it might seem intuitive to the reader that Darwin’s line of argument is well substantiated, the assumptions that he made throughout his arguments have led him to the “psychologist’s fallacy”. This occurs when an “observer confuses his own standpoint with the true nature of the event”. The act of crying, for instance, does not necessarily carry meaning in itself. It could be either a fake or a genuine cry. It is only upon reflection and interpretation by the observer that labels the act with the emotion of sorrow. It is thus easy to mistake emotions for the cause of expressions, due to our interpretation the
He speculated that the act of expression must have been of “direct use or an indirect effect of a stimulated nervous system” in our progenitors. A young offspring would learn from the positive or negative reinforcements given by its parents and as a result, form habits that are “passed down” from parents to their young. These actions are consciously learnt and become habit upon repetition, and would thereafter become instinct. Likewise, the interpretation of emotional expressions follows a similar learning curve, and eventually become instinctive over a long period of