This literature review will aim to discuss the universality of facial expressions of emotions by elaborating points from a biological, social and psychological view. Focusing on the debate whether universal facial expressions of emotion exist through the biological perspective and if not through a social perspective. As a result, the biological and social perspectives will both be merged to clarify the presence of certain universal expressions or emotions and the absence of others. Thus touching on the theory of Charles Darwin, a cultural anthropological perspective, studies with blind children, a study on microexpression and cadaveric muscles and finally language as limitation. Since facial expressions are the communication of emotions. Just as emotional images stimulate facial expressions. First, the universality of emotions from a biological perspective will be discussed. Charles Darwin, an evolutionary theorist, argued that all human facial expressions are the result of evolutionary means of survival, for example an expression of anger would indicate a defensive state to warn off predators. While a disgusted facial expression can be an indicator of spoiled food, something poisonous or combative, or unfit for consumption. It is important to note that Darwin suggested the relationship between communication and facial expressions (Face-and-emotion.com, 2014). This point also further explains the usefulness of facial expressions from a psychological perspective in terms of learning behavior. An infant, or another member of the group, would interpret that facial expression as disgust and realize that what they had consumed was not fit for digestion and should therefore be avoided. Yet, controversially, from a social point of view...... middle of paper...an in-group advantage in emotion recognition?. American Psychological Association.Face-and-emotion.com. (2014). Theories of emotion and emotional expression: the psychology of emotion. [online] Retrieved from: http://face-and-emotion.com/dataface/emotion/theories.jsp [Accessed: February 13, 2014]. Gleitman, H., Reisberg, D., Gross, J. & Costa, RC (2009). Psychology. Porto Alegre: Artmed.Jack, R.E., Blais, C., Scheepers, C., Schyns, P.G. & Caldara, R. (2009). Cultural confusions show that facial expressions are not universal. Current Biology, 19 (18), pp. 1543--1548. Porter, S. & Ten Brinke, L. (2008). Reading through lies by identifying hidden and falsified emotions in universal facial expressions. Psychological Sciences, 19 (5), pp. 508-514. Waller, B. M., Cray Jr, J. J. & Burrows, A. M. (2008). Selection for universal facial emotion. Emotion, 8 (3), p. 435.