Doctoral Dissertation Research: Neural processes underlying the integration of perceived gaze direction and facial expression in emotion recognition

Dartmouth College, Hanover NH

Investigators

Abstract

With National Science Foundation support, Mr. Adams and his advisor Dr. Kleck will conduct a year long investigation to identify areas of the brain where eye gaze perception and facial expression perception are integrated in the processing of facially expressed affect. Previous research has demonstrated that both perceived direction of eye gaze and perceived facial expression are social cues of great importance to humans, however these cues have been examined independent of one another. There is good reason to believe that eye gaze and perceived facial expression are not independent. Eye gaze direction is likely associated with the production of emotional expression during experienced emotion. Eye gaze direction and at least some facial expressions of emotion may share a common information value as signals of either approach or avoidance. Such signals may be traced to a more primitive behavioral repertoire that likely evolved into present day emotion relevant behavior. Thus, it is possible that perception of eye gaze direction and facial expression share common neural substrates enabling integrated processing of these two cues to occur. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), Adams and Kleck will image the brain of volunteers as they perform psychological tasks measuring whether direct eye gaze will increase the perceived salience of anger and joy expressions and whether averted eye gaze will increase the perceived salience of fear and sadness expressions. This research will serve to increase our understanding of the facial cues that contribute to the perception of facially expressed affect and of the neural processes involved in the processing of such facial displays. The findings will provide new insight into the interactions amongst brain systems representing emotion, facial expression, and gaze. Insight into these systems, which play critical roles in everyday social interactions, will be useful for a variety of social and psychological issues.