EFEKAT FACIJALNE EKSPRESIJE EMOCIJA, TIPA I NIVOA MOĆI NA ZAKLJUČIVANJE O DOMINANTNOSTI OPAŽENE OSOBE

Abstract

Drawing inferences of the perceived dominance of individuals is an important process which helps to regulate social interaction. Existing research indicates that inferences of the dominance of social actors can be drawn based on various social cues, including facial expression of emotion. While perceived anger usually leads to an inference of high, and perceived sadness of low dominance, perceived happiness does not create such unambiguous impressions. To achieve a clearer image, the bases and level of perceived power, specifically reward power and expertise power, were taken into consideration, both of which could be either high or low. The study included 100 participants (women = 71), first and second year psychology students. The within subject 3x2x2 design was used with Expression (happiness vs. anger vs. sadness) x Bases of power (reward power vs. expert power) x Level of power (high vs. low). Dominance was a dependent variable operationalized through the semantic differential scale. The stimuli were photographs of faces, controlled for gender and age, which displayed the aforementioned facial expressions. In the case of reward power, a significant expressed emotion x level of power interaction emerged. In the case of expert power, there was only signifficant main effect of facial expression on dominance perception. The findings were analyzed according to the various expectations of the participants, formed during the process of socialization. It could be concluded that for more insight into the mechanism which lies at the core of the effect that facial expression of emotions has on perceived dominance, the profession of the perceived individual also needs to be taken into consideration. Key words: facial expression, bases of power, level of power, dominance