Skin complexion and the blush

Crozier, Ray 2023. Skin complexion and the blush. Emotion Review 15 (2) , pp. 118-126. 10.1177/17540739221150236

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Abstract

The implications of variation in skin pigmentation for the blush have attracted discussion for centuries. Two long-standing positions are identified. First, the blush has been identified with shame, giving rise to claims that because people with dark skin do not blush they do not have the capacity to experience shame. Second, the meaning of a visible blush can be ambiguous. A review of more recent theorizing and empirical research suggests that people blush whatever their level of pigmentation; the blush tends to be associated with embarrassment rather than shame; it serves both intraindividual and communicative functions. Nevertheless, there has been little systematic investigation into the impact of the relative discernibility of the blush on emotional experience or its functions.

Item Type:	Article
Status:	Published
Schools:	Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education)
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
ISSN:	1754-0747
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	17 February 2023
Date of Acceptance:	29 November 2022
Last Modified:	02 Jun 2023 17:22
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/157131

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