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Primary sourceBook1872

The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals

Charles Darwin · 1872

Darwin's 1872 book exploring the biological and evolutionary origins of emotional expression in humans and animals, illustrated with photographs.

Darwin's own study of emotional expression, extending his evolutionary theory to behaviour shared by humans and animals.

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Title page of 'The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals' by Charles Darwin, M.A., F.R.S., &c. Text reads: with photographic and other illustrations; London: John Murray, Albemarle Street, 1872; The right of Translation is reserved.
Charles Darwin, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, London, John Murray, 1872.

About this source

What it is

Written by Charles Darwin and published in 1872 by John Murray, this book followed On the Origin of Species and The Descent of Man. It examines expressions such as smiling, frowning, and baring teeth as evidence of a shared evolutionary heritage between humans and animals.

Why it matters

The book was one of the first scientific works illustrated with photographs, an innovation Darwin's publisher warned would cut into profits. Darwin drew on questionnaires, family experiments, and consultation with psychiatrists such as James Crichton-Browne. It has since been called a foundational text for modern scientific psychology, showing how Darwin extended his evolutionary thinking from bodies to behaviour and feeling.

Look closer

  • Why might using photographs in a scientific book have been considered risky or expensive at the time?
  • What does Darwin's use of questionnaires and family experiments tell us about his working methods?
  • How might studying emotional expression in animals support an argument about human evolution?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Charles Darwin on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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