Approximately how many meaningful facial expressions have been catalogued?

The correct answer indicates that around 10,000 meaningful facial expressions have been cataloged. This extensive cataloging is rooted in significant research on nonverbal communication, led by psychologists such as Paul Ekman, who studied and identified various facial movements and the emotions they convey.

Facial expressions are crucial in communication as they can convey emotions and attitudes that words alone may not fully express. The understanding of such a wide range of expressions highlights the complexity and richness of human emotional communication, which surpasses basic or common expressions. This cataloging helps in fields such as psychology, communication studies, and even artificial intelligence, where recognizing and interpreting emotions from facial expressions can be vital.

The other options suggest lower or higher figures, but the identified 10,000 reflects ongoing advancements and insights into the subtleties and nuances of human facial expressions.