Facing the limitations to self-reported well-being: Integrating the facial expression and well-being literatures

Abstract

Theorists, such as Darwin and Aristotle, have long argued that facial expressions communicate information about a person's emotional state. Recently, validated coding strategies for facial expressions have been developed, which enable researchers to reliably assess a person's affect. Although social, health, and clinical psychologists have regularly employed these objective measures of facial expressions (OMFE), occupational stress and well-being researchers are yet to benefit from this method. The subsequent chapter integrates the facial expression and occupational well-being literature. Specifically, we discuss the advantages of OMFE over self-reports and implications of OMFE for future research on occupational well-being.

Citation

Eschleman, K.J. and Bowling, N.A. (2010), "Facing the limitations to self-reported well-being: Integrating the facial expression and well-being literatures", Perrewé, P.L. and Ganster, D.C. (Ed.) New Developments in Theoretical and Conceptual Approaches to Job Stress (Research in Occupational Stress and Well Being, Vol. 8), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 199-235. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-3555(2010)0000008008