Deviant Contrast Sensitivity May Explain Enhanced Angry Superiority Effect in Anxious People

Abstract

The ability to recognize facial expressions is very important, but not all emotions are recognized as fast as others. Research investigating the detection of facial expressions in healthy participants shows inconsistencies in theories about emotion superiority effects, since both happy- and angry superiority effects have been found. These inconsistencies can be solved by studies which state that the stimulus properties affect the detection of stimuli, and not the emotional content of the face. However, research investigating the detection of facial expressions in anxious participants does not have these inconsistencies and only report angry superiority effects. Based on the healthy research, it is possible that the detection of stimuli in anxious people is also affected by the stimulus properties, however, these studies found only one superiority effect. Based on the fact that there are no inconsistencies found in the anxiety research, this thesis will research the question if the threat bias seen in anxious people is a visual instead of an emotional problem, as this may explain why anxious people detect the threatening stimuli more efficiently. A literature review was done, researching the direct and indirect effect of stimulus properties on the detection of stimuli in anxious participants. Even though there was not enough evidence to proof a direct effect of stimulus properties, literature shows that the indirect effect of stimulus properties is very likely. Based on these conclusions, it is suggested that the stimulus properties affect the detection of stimuli in anxious patients in a way that specific stimulus properties are detected more efficiently than others. This may explain why there are no inconsistencies in the anxiety research, because threatening stimuli have stimulus properties that are being detected more efficiently than happy stimuli in people suffering from anxiety.