New Findings on the Contempt Expression

Abstract

Three experiments using an alternative methodology tested the meaningrelationship between facial expressions of disgust and contempt and various verbal labels. Subjects completed a language-free triad task and counterbalanced paired comparison tasks. Data were analysed using consensus analysis, multidimensional scaling, and a numerical scaling model. The two categories of facial expression were found to be distinct. Reciprocal understanding of meaning between label and expression was found for disgust but not for contempt ("annoyance" was the preferred label for the contempt expression and anger expressions were preferred as exemplars of "contempt"). These data suggest that previous results are correct for the disgust expression, but that the contempt expression has been mislabelled.