Micro-Expression Trainer review

We were tempted to research whether or not this was a recognised branch of psychotherapy, or whether micro expression reading was just another area of pseudo-science that promises superhuman powers at the press of a button.

But in the end, that didn’t really seem to be in the spirit of Micro-Expression Trainer, and as an avid follower of the excellent Tim Roth TV series Lie To Me,  decided instead to let the app convince me of the viability of micro-expressions.

For those unfamiliar with the efforts of the Lightman Group, micro-expressions are supposedly quick, involuntary emotional responses shown on the face.

These emotional expressions are apparently universal, and relate to the seven core emotional responses of anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, surprise and contempt.

Being able to spot these micro-expressions, which can last as little as 1/25th of a second, is the key to knowing a person’s true feelings, and this app is designed as a training system for the budding deception expert.

A host of different people (well, 3D rendered people, but they’re quality renderings) are shown with a neutral expression, with an almost subliminal flash of a micro-expression that you’re then required to pick out of the seven core emotions.

For example, contempt is supposedly represented by one corner of the mouth tightening and raising a little while the eyes narrow, and is sometimes accompanied by a slight tilt of the head.

Fear stretches the lips horizontally, raises the eyebrows and pulls them together, lifts the upper eyelids and tenses the lower ones.

The duration for how long the micro-expression lasts on-screen can be varied, so you can get a good long look as you familiarise yourself with human emotion, before turning it right down until you simply get an instinctive feeling as to the subject’s emotional state.

Again, I’m in no position to say whether this is a real and universal scientific method, or a loose concept that’s been popularised by Tim Roth, but if it’s an area of psychology you’re interested in then Micro-Expression Trainer certainly lives up to its name.

The wide variety of different faces help to ensure you don’t just get used to spotting the expressions on a particular model, and the option to vary the speed of the micro-expression is a great way to test your reflexes.

At £2.99 (I saw the surprise on your face then) it’s not a cheap app, considering the narrow focus of its subject, but for just the right user it’ll prove both entertaining and educational. Probably not something to buy on a whim, though.