Expressiveness and Expressive Control

Abstract

Dispositionally expressive and unexpressive male subjects told truths and lies under low and high scrutiny. Subjects acted expressive, inhibited, and naturally. Judges rated subjects' performances. Subjects were able to regulate their expressiveness deliberately, but they were less successful when more highly scrutinized. Dispositionally expressive subjects appeared more expressive and attractive than unexpressive subjects. Unlike unexpressive subjects, they did not appear any less attractive when trying to act inhibited than when trying to act expressive, nor did they appear any more deceptive when lying than when telling the truth. Unexpressive people, even when trying to act expressive, did not appear as expressive as expressive people when the latter were acting naturally. Similarly, expressive people, even when trying to act inhibited, did not appear as inhibited as the unexpressive people acting naturally. Differences in expressiveness were conveyed most compellingly in channels that included nonverbal cues.