Oregon State University

Faculty Member, Psychology

Assistant Professor

About

I study the psychological and social implications of facial paralysis and facial movement disorders. One of the most significant consequences of facial paralysis is a face that is inexpressive of one's emotions and unresponsive during social interaction. There is much evidence to suggest that certain basic facial expressions are universally recognized and displayed across all cultures. This means that people with facial paralysis or facial movement disorders are unable to participate in what is perhaps one of the only universal languages.

Approximately 130,000 Americans develop some type of facial paralysis each year. There are many conditions that cause facial paralysis or facial movement problems, such as Moebius syndrome, Bell’s palsy, Ramsay Hunt syndrome, Parkinson’s disease, muscular dystrophy, stroke, facial burns, hemifacial microsomia, Goldenhar's syndrome, facial nerve damage from surgery or trauma, Lyme disease, multiple sclerosis, acoustic neuroma, and otitis media (ear disease). Facial paralysis is a relatively common occurrence, but there have been very few studies on the psychological and social effects of facial paralysis.

My research on the psychosocial consequences of facial movement disorders not only highlights the importance of facial expression in emotion, empathy, communication, and interaction, but, crucially, reveals the role of body and vocal expression in these areas. My research program is threefold: I examine how people with facial movement disorders adapt to their conditions, the way that other people interpret their behavior, and ways to facilitate effective and positive interaction between people with and without facial movement disorders.

My research suggests that people with facial movement disorders are often perceived as sad, depressed, introverted, or apathetic. Although there are serious social consequences of facial movement disorders, people can compensate for their lack of facial expression by using compensatory expressive behaviors such as body language, tone of voice, and verbal disclosure to communicate emotion, and people interacting with those with facial movement disorders can look beyond the face and focus on other expressive behaviors to improve the accuracy of their impressions. This is particularly important for people who frequently interact with people with facial movement disorders, such as their family members, friends, and healthcare providers.

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