Nature of Things. Face Value

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Description

This fascinating documentary on facial kinetics begins with a brief history of the field. In the 17th century, the fourteen bones and eighty muscles of the face were scrutinized to determine the correlation between facial expressions and such factors as criminality, personality and superiority. Researchers such as Paul Ekman probe facial expressions for clues to emotional states. His work in New Guinea validates Darwin's theories that facial expressions are part of evolution and universally understood. Neuropsychologist Nancy Etcoff demonstrates her research with people who can no longer recognize faces (agnosis) and she reviews the parts of the brain where facial recognition is located. Psychologist Andrew Meltzoff's work with infants demonstrates that two-week-old babies can recognize facial expressions and imitate them.