The most widely used tool for assessing mindreading ability—Baron-Cohen’s Reading the Mind in the Eyes (RmE) test—features 36 images of complex mental states, but exclusively uses white faces. In contrast, existing facial expression databases for emotion recognition include diverse actors but are limited to the six basic emotions, making them unsuitable for studying more nuanced mental states like intentions or complex emotions.

To address this gap, we developed a new database following the methodology of the McGill Face Database. It includes high-quality videos and still images of 14 ethnically diverse actors portraying 92 distinct mental states. This resource is designed to support research on cross-cultural aspects of emotion expression and theory of mind.

We validated the database using two methods:
a) the standard RmE four-alternative forced-choice task, and
b) a dimensional rating task where participants placed each face within a two-dimensional space of valence and arousal.

If you are interested in using these stimuli for your research, please reach out to us through the contact form.