Abstract
Facial expression and gaze direction play an important role in social communication. Previous research has demonstrated the perception of anger is enhanced by direct gaze, whereas, it is unclear whether perception of fear is enhanced by averted gaze. In addition, previous research has shown the anxiety affects the processing of facial expression and gaze direction, but hasn’t measured or controlled for depression. As a result, firm conclusions cannot be made regarding the impact of individual differences in anxiety and depression on perceptions of face expressions and gaze direction. The current study attempted to reexamine the effect of the anxiety level on the processing of facial expressions and gaze direction by matching participants on depression scores. A reliable psychophysical index of the range of eye gaze angles judged as being directed at oneself [the cone of direct gaze (CoDG)] was used as the dependent variable in this study. Participants were stratified into high/low trait anxiety groups and asked to judge the gaze of angry, fearful, and neutral faces across a range of gaze directions. The result showed: (1) the perception of gaze direction was influenced by facial expression and this was modulated by trait anxiety. For the high trait anxiety group, the CoDG for angry expressions was wider than for fearful and neutral expressions, and no significant difference emerged between fearful and neutral expressions; For the low trait anxiety group, the CoDG for both angry and fearful expressions was wider than for neutral, and no significant difference emerged between angry and fearful expressions. (2) Trait anxiety modulated the perception of gaze direction only in the fearful condition, such that the fearful CoDG for the high trait anxiety group was narrower than the low trait anxiety group. This demonstrated that anxiety distinctly affected gaze perception in expressions that convey threat (angry, fearful), such that a high trait anxiety level modulated the impact of indirectly threatening expressions (fearful), and did not influence responses to directly threatening expression (angry). These findings partially support the shared signal hypothesis.
Highlights
The human face portrays vast quantities of information to facilitate interpersonal communication
A wider cone of direct gaze (CoDG) was observed for the low trait anxiety group than for the high trait anxiety group, t(102) = 2.215, p < 0.05, Cohen’s d = 0.43
The current study investigated whether trait anxiety level modulates the effect of facial expression on the perception of eyegaze direction
Summary
The human face portrays vast quantities of information to facilitate interpersonal communication. Among the various sources of information, eye gaze direction plays a major role in face processing (Framorando et al, 2017) and social communication. The judgment of other’s eye gaze direction is not highly accurate, . People have a bias to judge other’s eye gaze as looking at them, even if it is looking away (Stoyanova et al, 2010; Mareschal et al, 2013). The propensity to judge others’ eye gaze direction as directed at the self is influenced by facial expression, especially facial expressions related to threat, such as anger and fear portrayals. A wider CoDG indicates that participants were more prone to judge other’s eye gaze as directed at themselves. The results showed individuals were prone to judge angry face looking at themselves, and fearful face looking away
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