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Pain facial expression: Individual variability undermines the specific adaptationist account

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 August 2003

Christine R. Harris
Affiliation:
Center for Brain and Cognition, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0109 charris@psy.ucsd.edualvarado@psy.ucsd.edu http://psy.ucsd.edu/%7Echarris/ http://www.csupomona.edu/~nalvarado/
Nancy Alvarado
Affiliation:
Center for Brain and Cognition, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0109 charris@psy.ucsd.edualvarado@psy.ucsd.edu http://psy.ucsd.edu/%7Echarris/ http://www.csupomona.edu/~nalvarado/
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Abstract

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The proposal that there are specific adaptations for the expression and detection of pain appears premature on both conceptual and empirical grounds. We discuss criteria for the validation of a pain facial expression. We also describe recent findings from our lab on coping styles and pain expression, which illustrate the importance of considering individual differences when proposing evolutionary explanations.

Type
Brief Report
Copyright
© 2002 Cambridge University Press