The Expression of The Emotions in Man and Animals

The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals is a book by Charles Darwin, published in 1872, concerning genetically determined aspects of behaviour. It was published thirteen years after On the Origin of Species and, alongside his 1871 book The Descent of Man (of which it was originally intended to form a part), it is Darwin's main consideration of human origins. In this book, Darwin seeks to trace the origins of such human characteristics as the pursing of the lips in moments of concentration and the mental confusion which typically accompanies blushing. Before Darwin, mental life had often been considered in terms of associationist psychology. Darwin's biological approach links mental states to the neurological organization of movement; and he sought out the opinions of some leading British psychiatrists, notably James Crichton-Browne, in the preparation of the book which forms his main contribution to psychology. Amongst the innovations with this book are Darwin's circulation of a questionnaire in his preparatory research; simple psychology experiments on emotional recognition with his friends and family; and (borrowing from Duchenne de Boulogne, a physician at the Salp tri re) the use of photographs in his presentation of scientific information. The Expression of the Emotions is an important landmark in the history of book illustration.

The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals is a book by Charles Darwin, published in 1872, concerning genetically determined aspects of behaviour. It was published thirteen years after On the Origin of Species and, alongside his 1871 book The Descent of Man (of which it was originally intended to form a part), it is Darwin's main consideration of human origins. In this book, Darwin seeks to trace the origins of such human characteristics as the pursing of the lips in moments of concentration and the mental confusion which typically accompanies blushing. Before Darwin, mental life had often been considered in terms of associationist psychology. Darwin's biological approach links mental states to the neurological organization of movement; and he sought out the opinions of some leading British psychiatrists, notably James Crichton-Browne, in the preparation of the book which forms his main contribution to psychology. Amongst the innovations with this book are Darwin's circulation of a questionnaire in his preparatory research; simple psychology experiments on emotional recognition with his friends and family; and (borrowing from Duchenne de Boulogne, a physician at the Salp tri re) the use of photographs in his presentation of scientific information. The Expression of the Emotions is an important landmark in the history of book illustration.

The definitive edition of Darwin’s classic – a brilliantly entertaining and accessible exploration of human and animal behaviour, reissued to mark the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth. Why do we bite people we feel affection towards? Why do dogs wag their tails? Or cats purr? Why do we get embarrassed, and why does embarrassment make us blush? These and many other questions about the emotional life of man and animals are answered in this remarkable book. Expression is the only book in which Darwin sketches out his revolutionary ideas about human behaviour in detail: he discusses childhood learning, insanity, painting and sculpture, animal behaviour and the differences in facial expression of the world’s peoples.

The definitive edition of Darwin’s classic – a brilliantly entertaining and accessible exploration of human and animal behaviour, reissued to mark the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth. Why do we bite people we feel affection towards? Why do dogs wag their tails? Or cats purr? Why do we get embarrassed, and why does embarrassment make us blush? These and many other questions about the emotional life of man and animals are answered in this remarkable book. Expression is the only book in which Darwin sketches out his revolutionary ideas about human behaviour in detail: he discusses childhood learning, insanity, painting and sculpture, animal behaviour and the differences in facial expression of the world’s peoples.