Numerous studies have found evidence suggesting that facial expression identification is strongly influenced by the valence or type of facial expression shown (e.g., Taylor & Jose, 2014). Happy facial expressions are more easily categorized than most other expressions for example (Calvo & Lundqvist 2008; Hugenburg & Scezny, 2006; Leppanen & Hietanen, 2003). Moreover, recent studies have shown that dimensions such as the race or gender of the face can modulate our ability to react to these expressions (Hugenburg, 2005; Bijilstra, Holland, & Wigboldus, 2010; Bijlstra, Holland, Dotsch, Hugenberg, & Wigboldus, 2014; Palermo & Coltheart, 2004). Findings from these studies have highlighted the relevance of invariant and variant facial characteristics of the face when processing emotions from facial expressions. This is important, as it challenges current theories of face processing which have generally argued that separate systems exist for the processing of invariant features, such as face gender and variant changeable aspects of a face, such as expression (Bruce & Young, 1986; Haxby, Hoffmann, & Gobinni, 2000).Recent behavioral findings provide support of an overlap between the dimensions of face gender and expression when identifying facial expressions. Hugenburg and Scezny (2006) found that facial expressions were categorized faster and more accurately when the target face was female as opposed to male. Conversely, facial expressions were categorized more accurately in male target faces. In support of these findings, Becker, Kenrick, Neuberg, Blackwell, and Smith, (2007) observed faster reaction times and greater accuracy for categorization of male facial expressions, across a series of experiments. The authors also reported that participants were more likely to imagine a male when instructed to generate an face. The apparent association of expressions with male faces in particular has been shown in other tasks, namely gender classification (Hess, Adams, Grammer, & Kleck, 2009) and emotion rating (Fabes & Martin, 1991; Plant, Hyde, Keltner, & Devine, 2000). Several explanations have been offered in an attempt to understand the link between male faces and expressions. One possibility is that individuals hold stereotypical expectations that determine the differences in judgments of male and female faces in relation to expression (Hess, Adams, & Kleck, 2004). A classic study by Condry and Condry (1976) found when participants watched two separate video recordings of what they believed to be two different children (one boy, one girl) playing with a toy, they attributed a higher level of anger to the child that was labelled as a boy, even though really it was the same child playing in both videos. Similarly, it has been shown that children are more likely to think that a crying baby is if previously told that the baby is male as opposed to female (Haugh, Hoffman, & Cowan, 1980). These stereotypes occurring at a young age may continue through rehearsal into adulthood, causing biased expectations of face processing in males and females. Moreover, there is a growing consensus that stereotypes can considerably impact the perception of social categories in general (Bijlstra et al., 2014; Freeman & Ambady, 2011). An alternative account draws upon an evolutionary explanation, in that angry features have evolved to mimic masculinity and in contrast, happy features to mimic femininity (Le Gal & Bruce, 2002). Becker et al. (2007) showed that faces were rated more masculine and angrier when the distance between the brow and eye was shortened. A similar result was found when the distance between the eyes and mouth was manipulated in another study (Neth & Martinez, 2009). These findings converge with earlier research which claimed that the perception of certain facial creates associations with certain emotional and gender-related constructs (Brown & Perrett, 1993; Zebrowitz, 1997). …
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May 1, 2023
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