Are there universal expressions of emotion? | Sophie Zadeh | TED-Ed Animation

In this TED-Ed animation, Sophie Zadeh explores the question “Are there universal expressions of emotion?” Zadeh considers psychology theories from Charles Darwin, Silvan Tomkins, Paul Ekman, and more as she analyzes emotional states and non-verbal communication across a range of different cultures and locations. By comparing communities and cultures who do not share any connection, Zadeh examines the theory that select emotional expressions are standard among humans, rather than a learned behavior. Zadeh further explores several existing experiments to determine consistencies in human expression, and she even takes these theories and applies them to non-human examples. Through this, Zadeh demonstrates that expression is an evolutionary necessity and a crucial form of both communication and emotional intelligence.