Action Unit 46 - Wink - Optional
AU 45 (Blink) has the same muscle actions in the same sequence, except that in AU 46, the wink, the lowering of the upper lid is slower, there is a pause or hesitation during the closure, and it is unilateral. Blinks are typically bilateral. If the duration of the wink exceeds two seconds, the action should be scored U43E (eyes closed). The appearance of a wink (AU 46) is unlike that of a unilateral 43E or a unilateral 45 (blink) in that there is an intentional quality to the movement; there may be accompanying head movement, and there seems to be a deliberate pause or hesitation during closure even though the closure may be very brief.
A. Appearance Changes due to AU 46
1. One eye closes briefly, pausing longer than for a unilateral blink, before opening again. The eye closure must be unilateral and have a deliberate pause or hesitation.
2. The eye closure must be shorter than 2 seconds. AU 46 cannot be scored in a still photograph.
3. May or may not include evidence of tightening of the eyelids (as in a unilateral 7+43E), or tightening plus infraorbital triangle raise and crow's feet (as in a unilateral 6+43E). The eye closure of a unilateral 43E, unilateral 6+43E, or unilateral 7+43E is scored as AU 46 if the duration of the eye closure is less than 2 seconds, and there appears to be a deliberate pause or hesitation.
4. AU 46 must be scored unilaterally indicating which eye winked, i.e., R46 or L46.
Examine the video example for AU 46.
B. How to do AU 46
Some people have a much easier time performing winks than others, but quickly closing one eye briefly is an easy movement for most people. If you have difficulty in trying to shut only one eye, try instead to keep one eye open while you blink. Wink while watching with the other eye. Do a unilateral 46 wink, a unilateral 6+46 wink, and a unilateral 7+46 wink. Try reversing the eye you wink.
C. Intensity Scoring for AU 46
There is no intensity scoring for AU 46; consider scoring AUs 6 or 7 to capture apparent intensity differences in winks.
