Facial Action Coding

System

Facial Action Coding System (FACS) is a

system to taxonomize human facial
movements by their appearance on the
face, based on a system originally
developed by a Swedish anatomist named
Carl-Herman Hjortsjö.[1] It was later
adopted by Paul Ekman and Wallace V.
Friesen, and published in 1978.[2] Ekman,
Friesen, and Joseph C. Hager published a
significant update to FACS in 2002.[3]
Movements of individual facial muscles
are encoded by FACS from slight different
instant changes in facial appearance.[4] It
is a common standard to systematically
categorize the physical expression of
emotions, and it has proven useful to
psychologists and to animators. Due to
subjectivity and time consumption issues,
FACS has been established as a computed
automated system that detects faces in
videos, extracts the geometrical features
of the faces, and then produces temporal
profiles of each facial movement.[4]
Muscles of head and neck.

Uses
Using FACS [5] human coders can manually
code nearly any anatomically possible
facial expression, deconstructing it into
the specific action units (AU) and their
temporal segments that produced the
expression. As AUs are independent of any
interpretation, they can be used for any
higher order decision making process
including recognition of basic emotions, or
pre-programmed commands for an
ambient intelligent environment. The FACS
Manual is over 500 pages in length and
provides the AUs, as well as Ekman's
interpretation of their meaning.

FACS defines AUs, which are a contraction

or relaxation of one or more muscles. It
also defines a number of Action
Descriptors, which differ from AUs in that
the authors of FACS have not specified the
muscular basis for the action and have not
distinguished specific behaviors as
precisely as they have for the AUs.
For example, FACS can be used to
distinguish two types of smiles as
follows:[6]

Insincere and voluntary Pan-Am smile:

contraction of zygomatic major alone
Sincere and involuntary Duchenne smile:
contraction of zygomatic major and
inferior part of orbicularis oculi.

Although the labeling of expressions

currently requires trained experts,
researchers have had some success in
using computers to automatically identify
FACS codes.[7] Computer graphical face
models, such as CANDIDE or Artnatomy ,
allow expressions to be artificially posed
by setting the desired action units.

The use of FACS has been proposed for

use in the analysis of depression,[8] and
the measurement of pain in patients
unable to express themselves verbally.[9]

FACS is designed to be self-instructional.

People can learn the technique from a
number of sources including manuals and
workshops,[10] and obtain certification
through testing.[11] The original FACS has
been modified to analyze facial
movements in several non-human
primates, namely chimpanzees,[12] rhesus
macaques,[13] gibbons and siamangs,[14]
and orangutans.[15] More recently, it was
developed also for domestic species,
including the dog,[16] the horse[17] and the
cat.[18] Similarly to the human FACS, the
animal FACS have manuals available
online for each species with the respective
certification tests.[19]

Thus, FACS can be used to compare facial

repertoires across species due to its
anatomical basis. A study conducted by
Vick and others (2006) suggests that
FACS can be modified by taking
differences in underlying morphology into
account. Such considerations enable a
comparison of the homologous facial
movements present in humans and
chimpanzees, to show that the facial
expressions of both species result from
extremely notable appearance changes.
The development of FACS tools for
different species allows the objective and
anatomical study of facial expressions in
communicative and emotional contexts.
Furthermore, a cross-species analysis of
facial expressions can help to answer
interesting questions, such as which
emotions are uniquely human.[20]

EMFACS (Emotional Facial Action Coding

System)[21] and FACSAID (Facial Action
Coding System Affect Interpretation
Dictionary)[22] consider only emotion-
related facial actions. Examples of these
are:

Emotion Action units

Happiness 6+12

Sadness 1+4+15

Surprise 1+2+5B+26

Fear 1+2+4+5+7+20+26

Anger 4+5+7+23

Disgust 9+15+17

Contempt R12A+R14A

Codes for action units

For clarification, FACS is an index of facial
expressions, but does not actually provide
any bio-mechanical information about the
degree of muscle activation. Though
muscle activation is not part of FACS, the
main muscles involved in the facial
expression have been added here for the
benefit of the reader.

Action units (AUs) are the fundamental

actions of individual muscles or groups of
muscles.

Action descriptors (ADs) are unitary

movements that may involve the actions
of several muscle groups (e.g., a forward‐
thrusting movement of the jaw). The
muscular basis for these actions hasn't
been specified and specific behaviors
haven't been distinguished as precisely as
for the AUs.

For most accurate annotation, FACS

suggests agreement from at least two
independent certified FACS encoders.

Intensity scoring …

Intensities of FACS are annotated by

appending letters A–E (for minimal-
maximal intensity) to the action unit
number (e.g. AU 1A is the weakest trace of
AU 1 and AU 1E is the maximum intensity
possible for the individual person).

A Trace
 B Slight
C Marked or pronounced
D Severe or extreme
E Maximum

Other letter modifiers …

There are other modifiers present in FACS

codes for emotional expressions, such as
"R" which represents an action that occurs
on the right side of the face and "L" for
actions which occur on the left. An action
which is unilateral (occurs on only one
side of the face) but has no specific side is
indicated with a "U" and an action which is
unilateral but has a stronger side is
indicated with an "A."

List of action units and action

descriptors (with underlying facial …

muscles)

Main codes …
 AU
FACS name Muscular basis
number

0 Neutral face

1 Inner brow raiser frontalis (pars medialis)

2 Outer brow raiser frontalis (pars lateralis)

4 Brow lowerer depressor glabellae, depressor supercilii, corrugator supercilii

5 Upper lid raiser levator palpebrae superioris, superior tarsal muscle

6 Cheek raiser orbicularis oculi (pars orbitalis)

7 Lid tightener orbicularis oculi (pars palpebralis)

Lips toward each

8 orbicularis oris
other

9 Nose wrinkler levator labii superioris alaeque nasi

10 Upper lip raiser levator labii superioris, caput infraorbitalis

11 Nasolabial deepener zygomaticus minor

12 Lip corner puller zygomaticus major

13 Sharp lip puller levator anguli oris (also known as caninus)

14 Dimpler buccinator

15 Lip corner depressor depressor anguli oris (also known as triangularis)

16 Lower lip depressor depressor labii inferioris

17 Chin raiser mentalis

18 Lip pucker incisivii labii superioris and incisivii labii inferioris

19 Tongue show

20 Lip stretcher risorius w/ platysma

21 Neck tightener platysma

22 Lip funneler orbicularis oris

23 Lip tightener orbicularis oris

24 Lip pressor orbicularis oris

depressor labii inferioris, or relaxation of mentalis or

25 Lips part
orbicularis oris
26 Jaw drop masseter; relaxed temporalis and internal pterygoid

27 Mouth stretch pterygoids, digastric

28 Lip suck orbicularis oris

Head movement codes …

 AU
FACS name Action
number

Head turn
51
left

Head turn
52
right

53 Head up

54 Head down

55 Head tilt left

The onset of the symmetrical 14 is immediately preceded or

M55 Head tilt left
accompanied by a head tilt to the left.

Head tilt
56
right

Head tilt The onset of the symmetrical 14 is immediately preceded or

M56
right accompanied by a head tilt to the right.

Head
57
forward

Head thrust The onset of 17+24 is immediately preceded, accompanied, or followed

M57
forward by a head thrust forward.

58 Head back

Head shake
The onset of 17+24 is immediately preceded, accompanied, or followed
M59 up and
by an up-down head shake (nod).
down

Head shake The onset of 17+24 is immediately preceded, accompanied, or followed

M60
side to side by a side to side head shake.

Head The onset of the symmetrical 14 is immediately preceded or

M83 upward and accompanied by a movement of the head, upward and turned and/or
to the side tilted to either the left or right.

Eye movement codes …

 AU
FACS name Action
number

Eyes turn
61
left

The onset of the symmetrical 14 is immediately preceded or

M61 Eyes left
accompanied by eye movement to the left.

Eyes turn
62
right

The onset of the symmetrical 14 is immediately preceded or

M62 Eyes right
accompanied by eye movement to the right.

63 Eyes up

64 Eyes down

65 Walleye

66 Cross-eye

Upward
The onset of the symmetrical 14 is immediately preceded or
M68 rolling of
accompanied by an upward rolling of the eyes.
eyes

Eyes
positioned
The 4, 5, or 7, alone or in combination, occurs while the eye position is
69 to look at
fixed on the other person in the conversation.
other
person

Head
The onset of the symmetrical 14 or AUs 4, 5, and 7, alone or in
and/or eyes
combination, is immediately preceded or accompanied by a movement
M69 look at
of the eyes or of the head and eyes to look at the other person in the
other
conversation.
person

Visibility codes …
AU number FACS name

70 Brows and forehead not visible

71 Eyes not visible

72 Lower face not visible

73 Entire face not visible

74 Unscorable

Gross behavior codes …

These codes are reserved for recording

information about gross behaviors that
may be relevant to the facial actions that
are scored.
 AU
FACS name Muscular basis
number

29 Jaw thrust

30 Jaw sideways

31 Jaw clencher masseter

32 [Lip] bite

33 [Cheek] blow

34 [Cheek] puff

35 [Cheek] suck

36 [Tongue] bulge

37 Lip wipe

38 Nostril dilator nasalis (pars alaris)

Nostril
39 nasalis (pars transversa) and depressor septi nasi
compressor

40 Sniff

41 Lid droop Levator palpebrae superioris (relaxation)

42 Slit Orbicularis oculi muscle

43 Eyes closed Relaxation of Levator palpebrae superioris

44 Squint Corrugator supercilii and orbicularis oculi muscle

Relaxation of Levator palpebrae superioris; contraction of

45 Blink
orbicularis oculi (pars palpebralis)

46 Wink orbicularis oculi

50 Speech

80 Swallow

81 Chewing

82 Shoulder shrug

Head shake back

84
and forth

Head nod up and

85
down
91 Flash

92 Partial flash

97* Shiver/tremble

98* Fast up-down look

See also
Computer facial animation
Computer processing of body language
Facial electromyography
Facial feedback hypothesis
Facial muscles
Microexpression

References
1. Hjortsjö CH (1969). Man's face and
mimic language . free download: Carl-
 Herman Hjortsjö, Man's face and
mimic language"
2. Ekman P, Friesen W (1978). Facial
Action Coding System: A Technique
for the Measurement of Facial
Movement. Palo Alto: Consulting
Psychologists Press.
3. Ekman P, Friesen WV, Hager JC (2002).
Facial Action Coding System: The
Manual on CD ROM. Salt Lake City: A
Human Face.
4. Hamm J, Kohler CG, Gur RC, Verma R
(September 2011). "Automated Facial
Action Coding System for dynamic
analysis of facial expressions in
neuropsychiatric disorders" . Journal
of Neuroscience Methods. 200 (2):
237–56.
doi:10.1016/j.jneumeth.2011.06.023 .
PMC 3402717 . PMID 21741407 .
5. Ramachandran VS (2012).
"Microexpression and
macroexpression". In Ramachandran
VS (ed.). Encyclopedia of Human
Behavior. 2. Oxford:
Elsevier/Academic Press. pp. 173–
183. ISBN 978-0-12-375000-6.
 . Del Giudice M, Colle L (May 2007).
"Differences between children and
adults in the recognition of enjoyment
smiles". Developmental Psychology.
43 (3): 796–803. doi:10.1037/0012-
1649.43.3.796 . PMID 17484588 .
7. Facial Action Coding System.
Retrieved July 21, 2007.
. Reed LI, Sayette MA, Cohn JF
(November 2007). "Impact of
depression on response to comedy: a
dynamic facial coding analysis".
Journal of Abnormal Psychology. 116
(4): 804–9.
CiteSeerX 10.1.1.307.6950 .
doi:10.1037/0021-843X.116.4.804 .
PMID 18020726 .
 9. Lints-Martindale AC,
Hadjistavropoulos T, Barber B, Gibson
SJ (2007). "A psychophysical
investigation of the facial action
coding system as an index of pain
variability among older adults with and
without Alzheimer's disease" . Pain
Medicine. 8 (8): 678–89.
doi:10.1111/j.1526-
4637.2007.00358.x .
PMID 18028046 .
10. Rosenberg EL. "Example and web site
of one teaching professional" .
Archived from the original on 2009-
02-06. Retrieved 2009-02-04.
11. "Facial Action Coding System" . Paul
Ekman Group. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
12. Parr LA, Waller BM, Vick SJ, Bard KA
(February 2007). "Classifying
chimpanzee facial expressions using
muscle action" . Emotion. 7 (1): 172–
81. doi:10.1037/1528-3542.7.1.172 .
PMC 2826116 . PMID 17352572 .
13. Parr LA, Waller BM, Burrows AM,
Gothard KM, Vick SJ (December
2010). "Brief communication:
MaqFACS: A muscle-based facial
movement coding system for the
rhesus macaque" . American Journal
of Physical Anthropology. 143 (4):
625–30. doi:10.1002/ajpa.21401 .
PMC 2988871 . PMID 20872742 .
14. Waller BM, Lembeck M, Kuchenbuch P,
Burrows AM, Liebal K (2012).
"GibbonFACS: A Muscle-Based Facial
Movement Coding System for
Hylobatids". International Journal of
Primatology. 33 (4): 809–821.
doi:10.1007/s10764-012-9611-6 .
15. Caeiro CC, Waller BM, Zimmermann E,
Burrows AM, Davila-Ross M (2012).
"OrangFACS: A Muscle-Based Facial
Movement Coding System for
Orangutans (Pongo spp.)" .
International Journal of Primatology.
34: 115–129. doi:10.1007/s10764-
012-9652-x .
1 . Waller BM, Peirce K, Caeiro CC,
Scheider L, Burrows AM, McCune S,
Kaminski J (2013). "Paedomorphic
facial expressions give dogs a
selective advantage" . PLOS ONE. 8
(12): e82686.
Bibcode:2013PLoSO...882686W .
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0082686 .
PMC 3873274 . PMID 24386109 .
17. Wathan J, Burrows AM, Waller BM,
McComb K (2015-08-05). "EquiFACS:
The Equine Facial Action Coding
System" . PLOS ONE. 10 (8):
e0131738.
Bibcode:2015PLoSO..1031738W .
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0131738 .
PMC 4526551 . PMID 26244573 .
1 . Caeiro CC, Burrows AM, Waller BM
(2017-04-01). "Development and
application of CatFACS: Are human cat
adopters influenced by cat facial
expressions?" (PDF). Applied Animal
Behaviour Science. 189: 66–78.
doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2017.01.005 .
ISSN 0168-1591 .
19. "Home" . animalfacs.com. Retrieved
2019-10-23.
20. Vick SJ, Waller BM, Parr LA, Smith
Pasqualini MC, Bard KA (March 2007).
"A Cross-species Comparison of Facial
Morphology and Movement in Humans
and Chimpanzees Using the Facial
Action Coding System (FACS)" .
Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. 31 (1):
1–20. doi:10.1007/s10919-006-0017-
z . PMC 3008553 . PMID 21188285 .
21. Friesen W, Ekman P (1983), EMFACS-7:
Emotional Facial Action Coding
System. Unpublished manuscript, 2,
University of California at San
Francisco, p. 1
22. "Facial Action Coding System Affect
Interpretation Dictionary (FACSAID)" .
Archived from the original on 2011-
05-20. Retrieved 2011-02-23.

External links
Paul Ekman's articles relating to FACS
Paul Ekman's Facial Action Coding
System (FACS)
 More information on the different
animal FACS projects
New Yorker article discussing FACS
Details from 1978 edition of FACS
Site at WPI
download of Carl-Herman Hjortsjö,
Man's face and mimic language" (the
original Swedish title of the book is:
"Människans ansikte och mimiska
språket". The correct translation would
be: "Man's face and facial language")

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