Facial expression of anger was the most visible during 51 matches of the Euro 2020 soccer tournament, which ended on Sunday, reports a study presented on Monday by the Emotional Expression Laboratory (FEELab) in Porto.
The results were obtained after analyzing the videos of each game and expressing emotions anger It was very frequent (7/10), Happiness and yes Sorrow.
The facial expression pattern varied between anger, joy, sadness, pain, surprise, contempt, aversion and fear, and the images were analyzed using real-time automatic recognition technology.
The aim of the study “The Neurophysiology of Facial Expressions of Emotion: A Case Study with Players in the 2020 European Football Championship”, the first in the world, was to investigate the frequency and intensity of facial expressions in players from different countries and ethnic groups. groups in the context of competition.
According to its coordinator, Freitas Magalhaes, the findings confirm that “human interaction, at the level of competitive exercise, and regardless of ethnic groups, reinforces evidence for the most common underlying emotions.”
“The congruent instinctive state that underpins the notorious emotional reaction and asserts that, in the context of competition, emotional display is also evidence of human behaviour, sometimes elevated to extremes of aggressiveness, and intended, in the first place, to be seen by opponents who possesses power.”
Even the director of FEELab, from Fernando Pessoa University’s School of Health Sciences, believes that “the human face reveals this beyond doubt, as spontaneous, intense, real and natural in a competitive context.”
A facial expression of anger was already the emotion most displayed during the 2010, 2014 and 2018 World Cups and in Europe in 2012 and 2016, which Portugal won by defeating hosts Franca in the final with a lone goal from Eder in overtime. (1-0).
Compared to these five studies conducted previously, Euro2020 showed a Low intensity of cholera expression On the faces of the players and A slight increase in joy and sadness, After analyzing the pain for the first time.
The Emotion Facial Expression Laboratory, the only one of its kind in Portugal, was established in 2003 and has been recognized by several international organizations for “Leadership and Innovation” for its scientific work.
The sixteenth edition of the European Championship brought together 24 teams, including Portugal, the previous title holder, which was held since June 11 in 11 cities from 11 different countries, and ended with Italy’s second season after 53 years, by defeating hosts England 3-2 on penalties after 1- 1 in the 120th minute in London.
