Conclusions

Abstract

There is a dearth of systematic empirical evidence on the blush. Apart from observations he made during his voyage on the Beagle, Darwin based his claim for its universality on correspondence with colleagues across the world rather than on observations in those countries or direct contact with their inhabitants. There has been little subsequent research and what exists largely comprises students’ understandings of hypothetical events, their responses to questionnaires on perceived tendency to blush and recollections of blushing episodes. An exception is the large-scale study of colour and emotion words undertaken by Casimir and Schnegg, which concluded that the blush is recognised across the world but that its implications vary relative to its visibility. A small number of studies have measured changes in blood flow in reaction to contrived embarrassing incidents. The paucity contrasts with the enormous body of research on facial expressions produced by the musculature and studies of visceral processes in ‘basic’ emotions such as fear.