Bio

Javier Villanueva‑Valle is a researcher in Behavioral Neuroscience and holds a PhD in Psychology from UNAM. He studies what emotions say without words — what surfaces beneath the obvious when someone speaks, gestures, or falls silent.

Over more than a decade at Mexico's National Institute of Psychiatry Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, he explored the gap between what people say they feel and what their face and voice actually convey. He named this phenomenon the expressive paradox, particularly visible in people with Borderline Personality Disorder.

His research combines computational tools with clinical insight:

• PRAAT — acoustic voice analysis.
• FaceReader — automated facial expression recognition.
• Python — data synchronization, processing, and interpretation.

His work is guided by a clear principle: science can measure without oversimplifying, and clinical practice is stronger when technology supports — rather than overshadows — the human dimension.

He currently works as a forensic psychologist in high-impact judicial cases, applying his expertise in behavior and emotion to complex legal proceedings with methodological rigor and ethical care.