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Surprise pronunciation (help·info) is a brief emotional state that is the result of experiencing an unexpected relevant event. Surprise can have any valence; that is, it can be neutral, pleasant, or unpleasant.^{citation needed} Accordingly, some would not categorize surprise in itself as an emotion.^{citation needed}

Surprise is expressed in the face by the following features:

• Eyebrows that are raised so they become curved and high.
• Stretched skin below the eyebrows.
• Horizontal wrinkles across the forehead.
• Open eyelids: the upper lid is raised and the lower lid is drawn down, often exposing the white sclera above and below the iris.
• Dropped jaw so that the lips and teeth are parted, with no tension around the mouth.

Spontaneous, involuntary surprise is often expressed for only a fraction of a second. It may be followed immediately by the emotion of fear, joy or confusion. The intensity of the surprise is associated with how much the jaw drops, but the mouth may not open at all in some cases. The raising of the eyebrows, at least momentarily, is the most distinctive and predictable sign of surprise.¹

References

See also

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Surprise

• Affective neuroscience
• Paul Ekman
• Carrol Izard
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• Startle response

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