Preamble

I blame/credit (depends on the beholder) ChatGPT4 for the title

More details here: https://chat.openai.com/c/c9c1fc78-e4d1-46d2-9138-abf27db0f560

The facial feedback hypothesis

• Facial feedback hypothesis (FFH): feedback from facial expression affects emotional experience and behavior (Buck 1980)
• Strack et al (Strack, Martin, and Stepper 1988) devised a study to overcome possible demand characteristics
• They found a “significant” difference (t(89) = 1.85, p = .03, one-tailed)

The facial feedback hypothesis failure to replicate

Wagenmakers et al. (2016) conducted a pre-registered replication across 17 labs using a similar procedure as Strack et al. (1988).

Meta-analysis from Coles et al.

• Coles, Larsen, and Lench (2019) Analyzed 286 ESs from 138 papers

• Found that the FFH effect was small, but significant

• No evidence of publication bias (at least for emotional experience)

  

The Many Smiles collaboration

• The replication from Wagenmakers et al. (2016) did not rule out if the theory is falsified, or just an operationalization

  • Some authors suggest that FFH requires the display of genuine exhibits of emotions

• The meta-analysis from Coles, Larsen, and Lench (2019) might

  • have been under-powered for detecting publication bias

  • have been biased by low-quality studies

Adversarial collaboration led by Nicholas Coles aimed to :

Specify when effect should most reliably emerge. Determine best way to test those beliefs. Design and execute an international multi-lab experiment

The Many Smiles study: how did I get there?

Things (often) happen by chance but networking increases chance (tip for ECRs!)

• When discussing the study I proposed the use of linear models, and running a power analysis by simulation

  • I thus condemned myself to cross a valley of teaRs :-)