FACS FINAL TEST INSTRUCTIONS
THE ITEMS IN THE FINAL TEST:
The FACS Final Test video consists of 35 videotaped items digitized in MPEG 2 format, but do not score item #18. Each item on the tape is preceded by several seconds of title that shows the number of the item. The recording of each item is slightly longer than the portion that you actually code. Numbers visible in the picture that change with each video field allow you to locate where to begin and end your scoring.
Within each test item, a facial movement occurs. A configuration of AUs appears on the face, reaches maximum contraction (apex) and in most instances relaxes with the face returning to a neutral state. It is this movement that you are to score. Do not score an Action Unit, Action Descriptor or head/eye position that is already evident on the "start frame" unless the contraction (intensity) of that action increases. A list of apex locations for each configuration to be scored appears at the end of this document. This list also tells you the items for which head and eye position must be scored. Be sure to use this list when scoring.
Always score the 5 levels of intensity on all AUs.
Subjects speak during periods where actions occur on this test. Follow the guidelines in the Manual, Chapter 11, when the person is speaking exactly during the time the action occurs within the test item, briefly summarized next. Code AU 50 to score the speech action of the lips/jaw, and do not score AUs 25, 26 or 27 during speech. If AUs 10, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 22, 23 and/or 24, occur during speech, score the AU if it remains on the face for more than one syllable or its apex includes a speech pause. This is a reasonable clue that the AU was not required for the enunciation of speech. The test tape has a sound track so that speech and pauses can be determined.
SPECIAL SCORING RULES FOR THE TEST:
Head and Eye Positions. In scoring Head and Eye positions, assume that subjects are in their neutral position when they are facing towards the person they are talking to or facing towards the camera. [Sometimes this will be a head-on shot, sometimes this will be a shot taken at an angle]. On items that require you to score Head and Eye positions [note that the instructions below tell you on which items you do and do not score Head and Eye position], you are to score deviations from the neutral position. Score only those Head and Eye movements that occur coincident [within a few frames] of the apex of other AU's which change. Do not score head movements that rapidly change throughout the test item. Do not score Head or Eye positions if a single position that is a deviation from neutral is held through the test item.
Blinks. To save time, blinks are not to be scored for this test. (Blinks are obvious and in these items the blink is rarely an essential part of the action or configuration that is being scored.)
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS:
In scoring, it will be necessary to use slowed and stop motion viewing to identify the AUs that occur in an item. However, we recommend that each item first be viewed in real-time to make an initial scoring, and that real-time viewing be used repeatedly for verification to check your coring. AUs that are very brief or that occur only at the A or B level may be almost impossible to see in slowed motion until after they have been identified and roughly located in real-time viewing.
In scoring we recommend that you do not spend more than 20 minutes on an item. If you have not made up your mind by then, go on to the next item and return to the difficult item later, preferably in another scoring session. Many items should take you less than ten minutes.
Try to set a block of time for scoring on a frequent schedule. Do not attempt to score all items in one or two sittings.
After you have finished scoring all 34 items, you should do an additional review step. With your scores in front of you, go through the 34 items once more. Be alert for things you missed. We have found you can review about ten items in an hour.
PREPARING THE DATA FILE OF YOUR SCORING:
Use the FACS Score Checker program to write your data into a disk file.
Number the items you score 1 to 17 and 19 to 35, corresponding to the numbers
in the video. Save your scores as a .jso file, using the menu items File
--> Save Scores or File -- > Save Scores As. Name the file FFT_yourInitials.jso,
e.g., FFT_jch.jso .
When you have scored the 34 items please email your scores to joehager@face-and-emotion.com as an attachment.
Make sure that you keep a copy of your original scores and
the disk file for yourself. If errors make it impossible for us to evaluate
your scoring or you must re-score the test, you will need your duplicate
records to make corrections. You should retain the test materials until you
have received word that you have passed the test, at which time you should
return any disk and destroy any copies.
Listed below are the apex locations for each item on the Final Test:
ITEM 1: APEX: 05 26 91, DO NOT SCORE HEAD & EYE
ITEM 2: APEX: 06 35 74, DO NOT SCORE HEAD & EYE
ITEM 3: APEX: 07 47 20, DO NOT SCORE HEAD & EYE
ITEM 4: APEX: 07 56 40, DO NOT SCORE HEAD & EYE
ITEM 5: APEX: 08 24 64, DO NOT SCORE HEAD & EYE
ITEM 6: APEX: 09 17 70, DO NOT SCORE HEAD & EYE
ITEM 7: APEX: 11 25 00, SCORE HEAD & EYE FOR THIS ITEM
ITEM 8: APEX: 13 12 48, DO NOT SCORE HEAD & EYE
ITEM 9: APEX: 29 33 64, SCORE HEAD & EYE FOR THIS ITEM
ITEM 10: APEX: 29 53 56 IT IS NOT CLEAR WHETHER THE PERSON IS SPEAKING OR NOT DURING THIS ITEM, BUT SCORE A 50 ANYWAY. DO NOT SCORE HEAD & EYE
ITEM 11: APEX: 30 38 24, SCORE HEAD & EYE FOR THIS ITEM
ITEM 12: APEX: 38 33 87, DO NOT SCORE HEAD & EYE
ITEM 13: APEX: 38 53 39, DO NOT SCORE HEAD & EYE
ITEM 14: APEX: 39 19 07, DO NOT SCORE HEAD & EYE
ITEM 15: APEX: 06 15 64 DO NOT SCORE THE 12 THAT IS PRESENT FROM THE FIRST FRAME. DO NOT SCORE HEAD & EYE
ITEM 16: APEX: 09 34 36, DO NOT SCORE HEAD & EYE
ITEM 17: APEX: 12 06 80, SCORE HEAD & EYE ON THIS ITEM
ITEM 18: DO NOT SCORE, BECAUSE THIS SHOWS THE OFFSET OF AN EVENT; YOU NEVER SEE IT ONSET.
ITEM 19: APEX: 13 03 68, DO NOT SCORE HEAD & EYE
ITEM 20: APEX: 14 25 04, SCORE HEAD & EYE ON THIS ITEM
ITEM 21: APEX: 38 19 67, SCORE HEAD & EYE ON THIS ITEM
ITEM 22: APEX: 47 33 55, DO NOT SCORE HEAD & EYE
ITEM 23: SCORE FROM 52 54 31 TO 52 54 43, DO NOT SCORE HEAD & EYE
ITEM 24: APEX: 15 44 42, SCORE HEAD & EYE ON THIS ITEM
ITEM 25: APEX: 15 47 70, DO NOT SCORE HEAD & EYE
ITEM 26: APEX: 17 05 18, DO NOT SCORE HEAD & EYE
ITEM 27: APEX: 20 42 40. DO NOT SCORE BLINKS IN THIS ITEM DO NOT SCORE HEAD & EYE
ITEM 28: APEX: 28 20 54, DO NOT SCORE HEAD & EYE
ITEM 29: APEX: 28 20 92, SCORE HEAD & EYE POSITION ON THIS ITEM
ITEM 30: APEX: 32 01 78, DO NOT SCORE HEAD & EYE
ITEM 31: APEX: 36 51 74 DO NOT SCORE THE L2 THAT IS PRESENT FROM THE FIRST FRAME. DO NOT SCORE HEAD & EYE
ITEM 32: SCORE FROM 39 15 42 TO END, SCORE HEAD & EYE ON THIS ITEM
ITEM 33: APEX: 20 51 30, DO NOT SCORE HEAD & EYE
ITEM 34: APEX: 20 52 38, DO NOT SCORE HEAD & EYE
ITEM 35: APEX: 21 44 50, DO NOT SCORE HEAD & EYE
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1The FACS final test video was developed by Eva Baenninger-Huber, Bernadette Schenker, and Bruno Thomann (University of Zurich). The final test instructions were first written by Wallace Friesen (University of Kentucky) and later revised by Paul Ekman (University of California, San Francisco), Erika Rosenberg (William and Mary), and Joseph C. Hager (Network Information). Thanks also to Ursula Hess (University of Geneva) for providing scores from many coders.