Observational analysis reveals facial expressions enhance bonding in primate groups, suggesting a key adaptation for social living.
Facial expression has evolved as a solution to the primate group living problem. A growing body of empirical evidence suggests that the evolution of facial expression has been driven by the need to bond. Dunbar’s theories of group cohesion are therefore key to understanding primate (including human) facial expression.
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Waller et al. (2025) studied this question.
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