Our Research

This picture is taken from: Wingenbach, Ashwin, & Brosnan (2016). Validation of the Amsterdam Dynamic Facial Expression Set – Bath Intensity Variations (ADFES-BIV): A Set of Videos Expressing Low, Intermediate, and High Intensity Emotions. PLOS ONE 11(12): e0168891. Published under CC BY 4.0.

The research conducted in the Tan Emotion Laboratory (TEmo-Lab) focuses on emotions. We take an experimental and psychophysiological approach to emotion research with most of our data collection taking place in person in the laboratory. Much of our research is mechanism-oriented. That is, we are trying to closely define emotion-related phenomena and want to understand how they come about. A particular focus of our work is on facial emotional expressions. We are interested in overtly visible facial expressions as well as subtle facial muscle activations which are discernible only via facial electromyography. Our research looks at individuals with and without diagnosable conditions with the aim to inform interventions. If you are interested in the video stimulus set of facial emotional expressions we developed and make available for researchers, click here.