New research shows facial expressions are planned by the brain before movement, not automatic emotional reactions.

Photo-Illustration by Chloe Dowling for TIME (Source Images: Klaus Vedfelt—Getty Images, Tim Robberts—Getty Images, Kelvin Murray—Getty Images, Robert Recker—Getty Images, Howard Kingsnorth—Getty ...

Facial expressions play a fundamental role in social communication. While it is well established that others’ expressions influence our behavior—such as approaching a smiling person or avoiding an ...