Watch this vid and tell me,

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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWaFqw8XnpA&feature=related[/youtube]
- Do you really think the first person has flat expression? Why don't I see it?

While I was watching the first guy I was thinking he wasn't abnormally flat in his expression, but compared to the second guy he seemed flat by comparison. I've taken to watching people and I think a lot of people out there have flat expressions.

I think the first guy had a much flatter expression then the second guy.

I think that it is relative to the diagnostitian's expectation of how people typically affect when discussing killing themself. Make sense?

First of all, he was talking about intentions in hindsight, so you weren't looking at him threatening to kill himself on the spot. Second of all, his mannerisms seemed serious and paying attention to the interviewer, to me. Isn't it an emotional expression? I'm not a psychiatrist, so I wouldn't know.

That is not the only situation under which people are expected to show emotion.

There is an expectation of greater emotional expression. People often express emotion when recalling events, as well as experiencing them.

e.g. 'I was... goings to... kills myself' (sobs uncontrollably).

I am not a psychiatrist either. Isn't what an emotional expression?

Last edited by Orr on 13 Feb 2012, 6:53 am, edited 1 time in total.

I'd think flat affect would look blank and unreadable, facially. What do you think?

Me trying to appear less flat than I was, to minor success:

Seriousness, and paying attention to the speaker, like the first person in the YouTube video I linked.

I struggle to perceive seriousness, or paying attention, as being expressions of emotion.

I agree, but think there has to be an expectation for an emotional expression to be present for somebody to perceive flat affect.

I have no idea what emotion you are expressing in your picture, and I am equally unsure of why you might be expressing it. People more insightful than I in this area, e.g. most people, might be more successful.

When I was taking the picture, I wasn't experiencing much of any emotion, except maybe depression. Therefore I used it as an image of what 'flat affect' may look like. It was the one that was on my photobucket, but I have another picture from that time that shows my blank expression in a clearer way.

And I can see your point on the rest of what you're saying, so fair dos.

Thank you for explaining.

No problem.

With the first guy I think the flat expression is shown when he says the ghostbusters joke, he doesn't change his tone or smile when he says a joke.

Good point!