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A
Description of the Micro-_Expression Training Tool (METT)
David Matsumoto
San Francisco State
University
Paul Ekman
University of California,
San Francisco
The Micro-_Expression Training
Tool (METT) provides self-instructional training to improve your ability
to recognize facial expressions of emotion. In under an hour, METT will
train you to see very brief (1/25th of a second) micro-expressions of
concealed emotion. This document describes what micro-expressions are, a
description of the METT, and the currently available evidence
documenting its psychometric reliability and validity.
What are Micro-Expressions?
Micro-expressions are displays of
emotion that are so brief that they are barely perceptible to an
untrained observer. Ekman and Friesen had discovered these when
examining films of psychiatric patients who had lied during a clinical
interview, and who had concealed either plans to commit suicide or
hallucinations. They later defined micro-expressions as “fragments of a
squelched, neutralized or masked display. Micro displays may also show
the full muscular movements associated with macro affect display, but
may be greatly reduced in time. We have found that such micro displays
when shown in slow motion do convey emotional information to observers,
and that expert clinical observers can see micro displays and read the
emotional information without the benefit of slow motion projection” (Ekman
& Friesen, 1969) (p. 27).
Why are Micro-Expressions Important?
Micro-expressions are important
because they provide reliable information about a person’s emotional
state, especially when the person is trying to hide their true feelings.
This is called “leakage” because they betray how individuals feel even
when they attempt to conceal their true feelings (Ekman & Friesen,
1969). For instance, a non-insubstantial number of people produce
micro-expressions when lying (Ekman et al., 1991; Frank & Ekman,
1997). Moreover, individuals who are good at recognizing
micro-expressions are also better lie detectors (Ekman, 2003; Ekman &
Friesen, 1974; Ekman & O'Sullivan, 1991), and this ability exists across
cultures (Frank, in preparation).
Measuring and Training the Ability to
Recognize Micro-Expressions: Psychometric Evidence
The very first test developed to
measure the ability to recognize micro-expressions was created by Ekman
and Friesen (1974), who presented very intense facial expressions
tachistoscopically for 1/25 s, and showed that emotion recognition
ability was correlated with accuracy in detecting deception. A similar
method using different faces was used by Frank and Ekman (1997),
producing similar findings.
One of the problems with this
procedure was that tachistoscopic presentations are not life-like. In
real life, micro-expressions are imbedded within a face, with an
_expression preceding and following it. Additionally, tachistoscopic
images leave an after-image on the retina, allowing individuals to
perceive the _expression longer than it was actually presented. To
remedy both these limitations, Ekman and Matsumoto created a new test
using expressions portrayed by Caucasians and Asians that presented very
intense emotional expressions for a brief period of time (1/5 s)
imbedded within a 1 s neutral _expression of the same individual. This
test was called the Japanese and Caucasian Brief Affect Recognition Test
(JACBART).
Using the JACBART Matsumoto and
colleagues (2000) conducted an initial five studies documenting the
psychometric properties of this new test. The findings indicated
substantial support for the internal and temporal reliability of the
emotion recognition scores produced; sufficient item discrimination and
range; convergent validity among emotions; and reliability across
response alternatives. Construct validity was established by
correlations between emotion recognition accuracy scores and the
personality constructs Openness and Conscientiousness using multiple
measures of personality; and emotion recognition accuracy scores were
independent of visual acuity in judging general facial stimuli presented
at high speeds.
In a test of the predictive
validity of the JACBART using behavioral measures, Matsumoto and
colleagues (2004) administered it along with the In-Basket, a task
typically used to assess managerial competence. Participants assume the
role of a manager and are given a basket with 33 items, and instructions
to go through the in-basket, making decisions on what to do about each.
Independent coders rated the participant’s responses along ten
dimensions. Emotion recognition accuracy scores from the JACBART were
correlated with Problem Solving, Goal Setting, and total Effectiveness.
Recently Yoo, Matsumoto, and
LeRoux (2005) used the JACBART to assess the emotion recognition
abilities of international students studying in the US. The students
completed a battery of psychological adjustment measures along with the
JACBART at the beginning and end of the school year (September and May);
they also participated in a behavioral task in the laboratory during
their first semester. Emotion recognition ability scores were correlated
with a variety of adjustment indices (anxiety, homesickness, culture
shock) concurrently at the beginning of the semester as well as at the
end (anxiety, contentment). Recognition ability was also correlated with
end-of-year GPA, and with ratings of their participation in the
behavioral task obtained in the laboratory session.
Finally, Frank (in preparation)
used a shortened version of the JACBART in a test of the ability to
detect deceit and demonstrated that emotion recognition accuracy scores
were correlated with lie detection ability for both Americans and
Australians.
The Micro-Expressions Training Tool (METT)
Most recently, Ekman developed a
new version of the JACBART that is designed not only to test individual
differences in emotion recognition ability, but also to train
individuals on how to recognize the signs of emotion. This test is
called the Micro-Expressions Training Tool (METT) (Ekman, 2003). The
METT includes feedback about the correct answers, morphed faces
contrasting the most difficult to discriminate emotions, and a pre- and
post-test. Frank and Ekman have each separately provided this training
and, in yet to be published studies, obtained a very large increase in
accuracy with less than one hour of training. Thus it appears that while
most people are not tuned to the recognition of micro expressions, most
can learn to become sensitive to them.
References Cited
Ekman, P. (2003). Darwin,
deception, and facial _expression. Annals of the New York Academy
of Sciences, 1000, 205-221.
Ekman, P., & Friesen, W. (1969). The
repertoire of nonverbal behavior: Categories, origins, usage, and
coding. Semiotica, 1, 49-98.
Ekman, P., & Friesen, W. V. (1974).
Nonverbal behavior and psychopathology. In R. J. Friedman & M. Katz
(Eds.), The psychology of depression: Contemporary theory and
research (pp. 3-31). Washington, D. C.: Winston and Sons.
Ekman, P., & O'Sullivan, M. (1991).
Who can catch a liar? American Psychologist, 46(9), 913-920.
Ekman, P., O'Sullivan, M., Friesen, W.
V., & Scherer, K. R. (1991). Invited article: Face, voice, and body in
detecting deceit. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 15(2),
125-135.
Frank, M. G. (in preparation).
Decoding deception and emotion by americans and australians.Unpublished
manuscript.
Frank, M. G., & Ekman, P. (1997). The
ability to detect deceit generalizes across different types of
high-stake lies. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 72,
1429-1439.
Matsumoto, D., LeRoux, J. A.,
Bernhard, R., & Gray, H. (2004). Personality and behavioral correlates
of intercultural adjustment potential. International Journal of
Intercultural Relations, 28(3-4), 281-309.
Matsumoto, D., LeRoux, J. A.,
Wilson-Cohn, C., Raroque, J., Kooken, K., Ekman, P., et al. (2000). A
new test to measure emotion recognition ability: Matsumoto and ekman's
japanese and caucasian brief affect recognition test (jacbart).
Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 24(3), 179-209.
Yoo, S. H., Matsumoto, D., & LeRoux,
J. A. (2005). Emotion regulation, emotion recognition, and
intercultural adjustment. Manuscript currently submitted for
publication.