Some Psychological Correlates Affecting Recognition of Neutral Facial Emotion in Young Adults.
- Author:
Ra Yeon HA
1
;
Jee In KANG
;
Suk Kyoon AN
;
Hyun Sang CHO
Author Information
1. Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. chs0225@yuhs.ac
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Neutral facial expression;
Recognition;
Contempt;
Negative bias
- MeSH:
Affective Symptoms;
Anxiety;
Asian Continental Ancestry Group;
Bias (Epidemiology);
Depression;
Facial Expression;
Humans;
Interpersonal Relations;
Polymethacrylic Acids;
Temperament;
Young Adult
- From:Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association
2009;48(6):481-487
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have shown the relationship between recognition of facial expressions and psychiatric symptoms. This study investigated how healthy young adults recognize neutral faces and which psychological distresses and symptoms relate to their recognition of neutral faces. METHODS: One hundred forty-three healthy volunteers participated in this study. We used neutral facial pictures, selected from the Japanese and Caucasian Facial Expressions of Emotion (JACFEE) photo set, to evaluate participants' facial expression recognition and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Conner-Davidson Resilience Scale, and Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) to measure and examine their psychological characteristics. RESULTS: There were significant positive correlations between the recognition rate of neutral expressions as contempt and trait-anxiety level (r=0.21 ; p=0.01) and depression (r=0.20 ; p=0.02). This contempt-recognition was significantly negatively correlated with resilience score (r=-0.22 ; p=0.01) and the TCI self-directedness subscale (r=-0.29 ; p=0.00). Also, the TCI's harm avoidance subscale score was significantly positively correlated with the contempt recognition rate (r=0.21 ; p=0.01). CONCLUSION: These finding suggests recognition of neutral faces as contempt may be related to psychological distress, including trait and temperament characteristics. This negative bias toward neutral emotion (expressions) may affect interpersonal relations and social functioning in a healthy population.
