Automaticity and Hemispheric Specialization in Emotional Expression Recognition: Examined using a modified Stroop Task

The main focus of this investigation was to examine the automaticity of facial expression recognition through valence judgments in a modified photo-word Stroop paradigm. Positive and negative words were superimposed across male and female faces expressing positive (happy) and negative (angry, sad) emotions. Subjects categorized the valence of each stimulus. Gender biases in judgments of expressions (better recognition for male angry and female sad expressions) and the valence hypothesis of hemispheric advantages for emotions (left hemisphere: positive; right hemisphere: negative) were also examined. Four major findings emerged. First, the valence of expressions was processed automatically (robust interference effects). Second, male faces interfered with processing the valence of words. Third, no posers' gender biases were indicated. Finally, the emotionality of facial expressions and words was processed similarly by both hemispheres.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of North Texas

Year dc:date

2002

Author dc:creator

• Beall, Paula M.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Herbert, Andrew
• Fuchs, Jannon L.
• Lambert, Paul
• Neumann, Craig S.

• Face perception.
• Facial expression.
• Stroop task
• gender biases
• expression recognition
• automaticity
• hemispheric asymmetry

Statement dc:rights

• Public
• Copyright
• Beall, Paula M.
• Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

oclc: 50434934
https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc3267/
ark: ark:/67531/metadc3267

OAI identifier oai:identifier

info:ark/67531/metadc3267