Abstract
Mediated facial expressions do not elicit emotions as strongly as real-life facial expressions, possibly due to the low fidelity of pictorial presentations in typical mediation technologies. In the present study, we investigated the extent to which stereoscopy amplifies emotions elicited by images of neutral, angry, and happy facial expressions. The emotional self-reports of positive and negative valence (which were evaluated separately) and arousal of 40 participants were recorded. The magnitude of perceived depth in the stereoscopic images was manipulated by varying the camera base at 15, 40, 65, 90, and 115 mm. The analyses controlled for participants’ gender, gender match, emotional empathy, and trait alexithymia. The results indicated that stereoscopy significantly amplified the negative valence and arousal elicited by angry expressions at the most natural (65 mm) camera base, whereas stereoscopy amplified the positive valence elicited by happy expressions in both the narrowed and most natural (15–65 mm) base conditions. Overall, the results indicate that stereoscopy amplifies the emotions elicited by mediated emotional facial expressions when the depth geometry is close to natural. The findings highlight the sensitivity of the visual system to depth and its effect on emotions.
Highlights
An observer is able to infer the mental state and intentions of a person based on facial expressions
The results indicated that stereoscopy significantly amplified the negative valence and arousal elicited by angry expressions at the most natural (65 mm) camera base, whereas stereoscopy amplified the positive valence elicited by happy expressions in both the narrowed and most natural (15–65 mm) base conditions
Stereoscopy significantly increased the negative valence elicited by angry facial expressions, and the increase was highest for photographs taken at the 65 mm camera base
Summary
An observer is able to infer the mental state and intentions of a person based on facial expressions. Ponkanen, Alhoniemi, Leppanen, and Hietanen (2011) and Ponkanen et al (2008) demonstrated that the human brain processes live faces and pictures of faces differently even at early stages of processing Their first study measured the face-sensitive eventrelated potential component N170 elicited by faces and dummy faces in live and picture conditions. Faces elicited stronger N170 responses than dummy faces but only in the live condition Their second study compared direct and averted gaze in live and picture conditions. The elicited event-related potential difference between the direct and averted gaze was significant only in the live condition. In both studies, the live condition elicited differences in emotional valence self-ratings that were absent in the picture condition
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