The Positivity Bias Phenomenon in Face Perception Given Different Information on Ability
The negativity bias has been shown in many fields, including in face processing. We assume that this bias stems from the potential threat inlayed in the stimuli (e.g., negative moral behaviors) in previous studies. In the present study, we conducted one behavioral and one event-related potentials (E...
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doaj-50c7684e140a4ef587e8ca78658dd3482020-11-24T21:02:54ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782017-04-01810.3389/fpsyg.2017.00570234418The Positivity Bias Phenomenon in Face Perception Given Different Information on AbilityLei Mo0Lei Mo1Sasa Zhao2Sasa Zhao3Yanhui Xiang4Yanhui Xiang5Yanhui Xiang6Jiushu Xie7Jiushu Xie8Yanyan Ye9Yanyan Ye10Tianfeng Li11Tianfeng Li12Center for the Study of Applied Psychology, School of Psychology, South China Normal UniversityGuangzhou, ChinaGuangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal UniversityGuangzhou, ChinaCenter for the Study of Applied Psychology, School of Psychology, South China Normal UniversityGuangzhou, ChinaGuangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal UniversityGuangzhou, ChinaCenter for the Study of Applied Psychology, School of Psychology, South China Normal UniversityGuangzhou, ChinaGuangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal UniversityGuangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Psychology, Hunan Normal UniversityChangsha, ChinaCenter for the Study of Applied Psychology, School of Psychology, South China Normal UniversityGuangzhou, ChinaGuangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal UniversityGuangzhou, ChinaCenter for the Study of Applied Psychology, School of Psychology, South China Normal UniversityGuangzhou, ChinaGuangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal UniversityGuangzhou, ChinaCenter for the Study of Applied Psychology, School of Psychology, South China Normal UniversityGuangzhou, ChinaGuangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal UniversityGuangzhou, ChinaThe negativity bias has been shown in many fields, including in face processing. We assume that this bias stems from the potential threat inlayed in the stimuli (e.g., negative moral behaviors) in previous studies. In the present study, we conducted one behavioral and one event-related potentials (ERPs) experiments to test whether the positivity bias rather than negativity bias will arise when participants process information whose negative aspect involves no threat, i.e., the ability information. In both experiments, participants first completed a valence rating (negative-to-positive) of neutral facial expressions. Further, in the learning period, participants associated the neutral faces with high-ability, low-ability, or control sentences. Finally, participants rated these facial expressions again. Results of the behavioral experiment showed that compared with pre-learning, the expressions of the faces associated with high ability sentences were classified as more positive in the post-learning expression rating task, and the faces associated with low ability sentences were evaluated as more negative. Meanwhile, the change in the high-ability group was greater than that of the low-ability group. The ERP data showed that the faces associated with high-ability sentences elicited a larger early posterior negativity, an ERP component considered to reflect early sensory processing of the emotional stimuli, than the faces associated with control sentences. However, no such effect was found in faces associated with low-ability sentences. To conclude, high ability sentences exerted stronger influence on expression perception than did low ability ones. Thus, we found a positivity bias in this ability-related facial perceptual task. Our findings demonstrate an effect of valenced ability information on face perception, thereby adding to the evidence on the opinion that person-related knowledge can influence face processing. What’s more, the positivity bias in non-threatening surroundings increases scope for studies on processing bias.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00570/fullnegativity biasnon-threatening informationpositivity biasfacial perceptionevent-related potentials |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Lei Mo Lei Mo Sasa Zhao Sasa Zhao Yanhui Xiang Yanhui Xiang Yanhui Xiang Jiushu Xie Jiushu Xie Yanyan Ye Yanyan Ye Tianfeng Li Tianfeng Li |
spellingShingle |
Lei Mo Lei Mo Sasa Zhao Sasa Zhao Yanhui Xiang Yanhui Xiang Yanhui Xiang Jiushu Xie Jiushu Xie Yanyan Ye Yanyan Ye Tianfeng Li Tianfeng Li The Positivity Bias Phenomenon in Face Perception Given Different Information on Ability Frontiers in Psychology negativity bias non-threatening information positivity bias facial perception event-related potentials |
author_facet |
Lei Mo Lei Mo Sasa Zhao Sasa Zhao Yanhui Xiang Yanhui Xiang Yanhui Xiang Jiushu Xie Jiushu Xie Yanyan Ye Yanyan Ye Tianfeng Li Tianfeng Li |
author_sort |
Lei Mo |
title |
The Positivity Bias Phenomenon in Face Perception Given Different Information on Ability |
title_short |
The Positivity Bias Phenomenon in Face Perception Given Different Information on Ability |
title_full |
The Positivity Bias Phenomenon in Face Perception Given Different Information on Ability |
title_fullStr |
The Positivity Bias Phenomenon in Face Perception Given Different Information on Ability |
title_full_unstemmed |
The Positivity Bias Phenomenon in Face Perception Given Different Information on Ability |
title_sort |
positivity bias phenomenon in face perception given different information on ability |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
series |
Frontiers in Psychology |
issn |
1664-1078 |
publishDate |
2017-04-01 |
description |
The negativity bias has been shown in many fields, including in face processing. We assume that this bias stems from the potential threat inlayed in the stimuli (e.g., negative moral behaviors) in previous studies. In the present study, we conducted one behavioral and one event-related potentials (ERPs) experiments to test whether the positivity bias rather than negativity bias will arise when participants process information whose negative aspect involves no threat, i.e., the ability information. In both experiments, participants first completed a valence rating (negative-to-positive) of neutral facial expressions. Further, in the learning period, participants associated the neutral faces with high-ability, low-ability, or control sentences. Finally, participants rated these facial expressions again. Results of the behavioral experiment showed that compared with pre-learning, the expressions of the faces associated with high ability sentences were classified as more positive in the post-learning expression rating task, and the faces associated with low ability sentences were evaluated as more negative. Meanwhile, the change in the high-ability group was greater than that of the low-ability group. The ERP data showed that the faces associated with high-ability sentences elicited a larger early posterior negativity, an ERP component considered to reflect early sensory processing of the emotional stimuli, than the faces associated with control sentences. However, no such effect was found in faces associated with low-ability sentences. To conclude, high ability sentences exerted stronger influence on expression perception than did low ability ones. Thus, we found a positivity bias in this ability-related facial perceptual task. Our findings demonstrate an effect of valenced ability information on face perception, thereby adding to the evidence on the opinion that person-related knowledge can influence face processing. What’s more, the positivity bias in non-threatening surroundings increases scope for studies on processing bias. |
topic |
negativity bias non-threatening information positivity bias facial perception event-related potentials |
url |
http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00570/full |
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