Sadness as emotion

Background of sadness

Sadness is one negative emotion. Almost is presented by loosing something of somebody or by unsuccessful experience. Is a passive emotion, followed with lost of muscle tone on body. The head move down depend of intensity. Peoples who are sad looks that have no power to “fight against the gravitation”. Sadness is a variation or form of distress, which is the most general negative emotion. Distress is most easily and often aroused by physical pain.

In some cultures is the presentation of sadness not an acceptable behavior, for example in Japan, but some other cultures have his own rules, so in America is the showing of sadness by woman acceptable, but not for man. Some peoples like the experience of sadness, almost woman, by looking a romantic films or by reading novels known as tear-jerkers. On other side, some peoples are unable to feel sadness. Often are this persons not able to recognize the emotion of others and are unable to feel empathy.

crying

Appearance of the facial expression of sadness

The facial expression of sadness can be ambiguous if is presented only in mouth. The most extreme intensity of sadness facial expression is the total loose of muscle tone in face.

sadness

The inner corners of the eyebrows are raised and may be drawn together. The inner corner of the upper eyelid is drawn up, and the lower eyelid may appear raised. The corners of the lips are drawn down, or the lips appear to tremble. The skin below the eyebrow is triangulated, with the inner corner up.
If only the eyebrows rise appear on the face, is almost a sign of empathy. Often is sadness presented by other emotions. The sadness and anger blend looks so that a eyebrows show sadness but the mouth anger.

sad anger
Often is the sad mouth confused with disgust mouth.If the sadness is presented only on mouth, this is ambiguous not like in any other emotion. On the picture below is the disgusting mouth (left) and the sad mouth (right). On disgust the lips are putted out, not like by sad mouth and the corner of lips are puled back by disgust. In sad facial expression if the corner of lips puled down, not up like in disgust.

disgust sad mouth

A blend of sadness with anger appear by persons who feel anger by losing something. The main difference between anger and sadness is in activity. Sadness is a passive emotion and the anger is almost an active emotion. In this cases the upper side of face show the anger (eye, eyelids and forehead) ant the sadness is presented in mouth (corners pull down).

anger sad

Sadness can be presented with disgust to. In this situation, the sadness is represented in upper face, also in brows and eyes, and the disgust in nasal area and mouth.

sad disgust

The mask with happiness is presented if the person wish to show that is his condition not so bad, or to relax the situation. This expression use sometimes the peoples who wish to receive support or positive emotion, because the main goal of presenting the happiness in this situation is the wish of empathy and emotions reflection of positive emotion (happiness). Sadness is presented in upper side of face (brows and eyes) and the happiness in mouth.

sad and happy

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