The Effect of Valenced Facial Expressions on Vertical Selective Attention

Abstract

Research using mood induction (Wapner, Werner & Krus, 1957) or positive/negative word stimuli, (Meier & Robinson, 2004) as well as studies using participants pre-existing neurotic/depressive symptoms (Meier & Robinson, 2006) have documented the ability of emotional stimuli and states to shift attention upwards (positive emotion) or downwards (negative emotion) in space. This study aimed to investigate whether this impact of emotion on vertical attention extended to briefly presented facial expressions. A within-subjects, modified version of Meier and Robinson’s (2004) Study 2 formed the design for these experiments. Experiments 1- 4 tested the ability of arrows, shapes and emotional facial expressions to shift vertical attention. Results indicate that for both schematic (Exp.2) and real (Exp. 4) faces, positive valence (happy expression) shifted attention upwards, but there was no evidence of the negative valence (sad expression) shifting attention downwards, giving partial support to the conceptual metaphor theory. No evidence of positive valence broadening - or negative valence narrowing - vertical attention was found in support of Fredrickson’s broaden-and-build theory (Exps.2 & 4). The current research has provided partial further support for the conceptual metaphor theory and advanced knowledge in the area of emotion and vertical attention using pictorial stimuli such as facial expressions. It also provides some direction for future research in this area, highlighting key issues to be resolved.