Identification of Facial Emotions by University undergraduates of Igbo Extract

Authors

  • Charles O Anazonwu Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka
  • Andrew O Obiajulu Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka
  • Chidozie E Nwafor Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka
  • Nneka Perpetua Oli Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka
  • Rita N Ugokwe-Ossai Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

Keywords:

Identification of emotion, Facial Emotions, Igbos

Abstract

Controversy over claims of cultural universal of a number of facial emotions (anger. happy, fear, sad,
surprise. and disgust) goes on without a contribution from a study of any group in Igbo tribe. As a result. 66 university students of Igbo tribe. mean age = 24 years. balanced for sex (33 men. 33 women) were employed as participants in an experiment in which Ekman (1972) standard methodology was used to determine the number of emotions they could recognise. Although the results showed that four: happy, surprise, fear and disgust of the six facial emotions were identified at a significant level of confidence, only happiness emotion got 100% recognition. While awaiting future studies that will use a good representative sample of Igbo population. the results of the study were considered as important
contribution to the debate on cultural universal of facial emotions that pushed the position of happy facial expression to a higher level on a scale of cultural universal. The results and explanation proffered were considered as catalyst for more cross-cultural studies with different methodologies to determine the universality of 'happy' facial expression.

Author Biographies

Charles O Anazonwu, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

Department of Psychology

Andrew O Obiajulu, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

Department of sociology & Anthropology

Chidozie E Nwafor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

Department of Psychology

Nneka Perpetua Oli, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

Department of sociology & Anthropology

Rita N Ugokwe-Ossai, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

Department of Psychology

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Published

2019-09-17

How to Cite

Anazonwu, C. O., Obiajulu, A. O., Nwafor, C. E., Oli, N. P., & Ugokwe-Ossai, R. N. (2019). Identification of Facial Emotions by University undergraduates of Igbo Extract. ZIK JOURNAL OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH, 1(1). Retrieved from https://journals.aphriapub.com/index.php/ZJMR/article/view/965

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