Final answer:
The neuro cultural theory of emotional expression asserts that the production and recognition of facial expressions of emotions are universal, but cultural display rules influence the frequency and context of these displays. Influences on expressions and recognition of emotion also include biological factors, such as neural pathways and brain structure changes due to mental health disorders like PTSD.
Step-by-step explanation:
The neurocultural theory of emotional expression posits that the ability to produce and recognize facial expressions of emotions is innate and universal across human cultures. This theory is supported by evidence from research conducted by Paul Ekman and others, suggesting that there are seven universal emotions, each with distinct facial expressions: happiness, surprise, sadness, fright, disgust, contempt, and anger. While these expressions are biologically programmed, cultural display rules can modulate the expression of emotions, indicating that cultural norms influence how often and under what circumstances emotions are publicly displayed. The concept of facial feedback hypothesis enhances the neurocultural theory by stating that our facial expressions can influence our emotions, thus creating a bi-directional relationship between expressions and emotions.
Extended neurosurgical capacity in humans allows us to exert some control over our emotional behaviors, but the strong neural pathways connecting the emotive centers of the brain with motor control areas facilitate spontaneous emotional expressions. In contrast, mental health disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are associated with changes in hippocampal structure and function, which may affect the expression and recognition of emotions.