Sex differences in the rapid detection of emotional facial expressions.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Previous studies have shown that females and males differ in the processing of emotional facial expressions including the recognition of emotion, and that emotional facial expressions are detected more rapidly than are neutral expressions. However, whether the sexes differ in the rapid detection of emotional facial expressions remains unclear.

Methodology/principal findings

We measured reaction times (RTs) during a visual search task in which 44 females and 46 males detected normal facial expressions of anger and happiness or their anti-expressions within crowds of neutral expressions. Anti-expressions expressed neutral emotions with visual changes quantitatively comparable to normal expressions. We also obtained subjective emotional ratings in response to the fac

SUBMITTER: Sawada R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3984253 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature