

Friesen developed the original FACS in the 1970s by determining how the contraction of each facial muscle (singly and in combination with other muscles) changes the appearance of the face.

It does not cover the ways the face can move due to gravity, inertia and velocity.įacial Action Coding System (FACS) is the most widely used and versatile method for measuring and describing facial behaviors.

It only describes the movements of the face that the muscles can cause. IT DOES NOT ENCOMPASS ALL THE STATES OF THE FACE You can read about the new version of the FACS Manual, and purchase it on the site linked at the end of this postįacial action coding involves identifying muscles that produce facial appearances The new version (2002) of FACS by Paul Ekman, Wallace V. The FACS Investigator's Guide explains in general how to use FACS in scientific research, how it compares to other facial measurements, and what its psychometric properties are. The FACS Manual enables the practitioner to recognize the elements of facial behavior that combine to create meaningful communications FACS teaches the "alphabet" but leaves the considerable issue of semantics to other works. The manual does not discuss what the facial appearances described mean, except briefly in the Investigator's Guide. Working through the exercises of the FACS Manual may also enable greater awareness of and sensitivity to subtle facial behaviors that could be useful for psychotherapists, interviewers, and other practitioners who must penetrate deeply into interpersonal communications.įACS is a training manual, not necessarily easy reading, with lessons for detecting, performing, and categorizing facial movements. Behavioral scientists, CG animators, computer scientists interested in pattern recognition programs, and other technicians and scientists use FACS in their professional work when they need to know the exact movements that the face can perform, and what muscles produce them. It illustrates appearance changes of the face using written descriptions, still images, and digital video examples.

The Facial Action Coding System (FACS) Manual is a detailed, technical guide that explains how to categorize facial behaviors based on the muscles that produce them, i.e., how muscular action is related to facial appearances. What are the FACS Manual and Investigator's Guide? Description of Facial Action Coding System (FACS)
