The face of schadenfreude: Differentiation of joy and schadenfreude by electromyography

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The face of schadenfreude: Differentiation of joy and schadenfreude by electromyography. / Boecker, Lea; Likowski, Katja U.; Pauli, Paul et al.
In: Cognition and Emotion, Vol. 29, No. 6, 18.08.2015, p. 1117-1125.

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

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Boecker L, Likowski KU, Pauli P, Weyers P. The face of schadenfreude: Differentiation of joy and schadenfreude by electromyography. Cognition and Emotion. 2015 Aug 18;29(6):1117-1125. doi: 10.1080/02699931.2014.966063

Bibtex

@article{90ec2e189c424ed2adf8d669337a9f10,
title = "The face of schadenfreude: Differentiation of joy and schadenfreude by electromyography",
abstract = "The present study investigated whether the facial expression of the social emotion schadenfreude, the pleasant emotion which arises in response to another's misfortune, can be differentiated from the facial expression of joy. Schadenfreude was induced by videos displaying unsuccessful penalty shots of Dutch soccer players and joy by successful penalty shots of German soccer players. Thirty-two participants watched videos while the activity of four facial muscles was recorded electromyographically. Furthermore, they judged each stimulus according to valence, arousal, joy, schadenfreude and sadness. Electromyography (EMG) results revealed that schadenfreude expressions did not differ from joy with regard to involved muscles (increase of Musculus zygomaticus major and M. orbicularis oculi activity, decrease of M. corrugator supercilii activity, no activity change of M. frontalis medialis). Furthermore, facial reactions developed fast in both conditions and EMG indicated stronger reactions in the schadenfreude condition, but according to ratings participants felt more pleasure in the joy condition.",
keywords = "Psychology, Electromyography, Emotion, Facial expression, Joy, Schadenfreude",
author = "Lea Boecker and Likowski, {Katja U.} and Paul Pauli and Peter Weyers",
year = "2015",
month = aug,
day = "18",
doi = "10.1080/02699931.2014.966063",
language = "English",
volume = "29",
pages = "1117--1125",
journal = "Cognition and Emotion",
issn = "0269-9931",
publisher = "Routledge Taylor & Francis Group",
number = "6",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - The face of schadenfreude

T2 - Differentiation of joy and schadenfreude by electromyography

AU - Boecker, Lea

AU - Likowski, Katja U.

AU - Pauli, Paul

AU - Weyers, Peter

PY - 2015/8/18

Y1 - 2015/8/18

N2 - The present study investigated whether the facial expression of the social emotion schadenfreude, the pleasant emotion which arises in response to another's misfortune, can be differentiated from the facial expression of joy. Schadenfreude was induced by videos displaying unsuccessful penalty shots of Dutch soccer players and joy by successful penalty shots of German soccer players. Thirty-two participants watched videos while the activity of four facial muscles was recorded electromyographically. Furthermore, they judged each stimulus according to valence, arousal, joy, schadenfreude and sadness. Electromyography (EMG) results revealed that schadenfreude expressions did not differ from joy with regard to involved muscles (increase of Musculus zygomaticus major and M. orbicularis oculi activity, decrease of M. corrugator supercilii activity, no activity change of M. frontalis medialis). Furthermore, facial reactions developed fast in both conditions and EMG indicated stronger reactions in the schadenfreude condition, but according to ratings participants felt more pleasure in the joy condition.

AB - The present study investigated whether the facial expression of the social emotion schadenfreude, the pleasant emotion which arises in response to another's misfortune, can be differentiated from the facial expression of joy. Schadenfreude was induced by videos displaying unsuccessful penalty shots of Dutch soccer players and joy by successful penalty shots of German soccer players. Thirty-two participants watched videos while the activity of four facial muscles was recorded electromyographically. Furthermore, they judged each stimulus according to valence, arousal, joy, schadenfreude and sadness. Electromyography (EMG) results revealed that schadenfreude expressions did not differ from joy with regard to involved muscles (increase of Musculus zygomaticus major and M. orbicularis oculi activity, decrease of M. corrugator supercilii activity, no activity change of M. frontalis medialis). Furthermore, facial reactions developed fast in both conditions and EMG indicated stronger reactions in the schadenfreude condition, but according to ratings participants felt more pleasure in the joy condition.

KW - Psychology

KW - Electromyography

KW - Emotion

KW - Facial expression

KW - Joy

KW - Schadenfreude

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84932195460&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/02699931.2014.966063

DO - 10.1080/02699931.2014.966063

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 25297966

VL - 29

SP - 1117

EP - 1125

JO - Cognition and Emotion

JF - Cognition and Emotion

SN - 0269-9931

IS - 6

ER -