Macro-Expression
A standard, fully expressed facial movement lasting 0.5 to 4 seconds — long enough to be consciously controlled and socially displayed.
Macro-expressions are the everyday facial expressions people perform during conversation: a smile when greeting a colleague, a furrowed brow during concentration, surprise at unexpected news. They are typically congruent with the spoken context and can be modulated, masked, or suppressed.
Unlike micro-expressions, macro-expressions are often performed strategically and may not accurately reflect underlying affect. Robust behavioral analysis combines macro and micro-expression data with contextual cues to separate genuine emotion from social signaling.
Related terms: micro expression, facial action coding system, seven universal emotions
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