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Updated: Aug 23, 2026

Eye Tracking During Visually Situated Language Comprehension: Flexibility and Limitations in Uncovering Visual Context Effects
Published on: November 30, 2018
Suboptimal exposure to facial expressions when viewing video messages from a small screen: effects on emotion,
Niklas Ravaja1, Kari Kallinen, Timo Saari
1M.I.N.D. Lab, Center for Knowledge and Innovation Research, Helsinki School of Economics, Helsinki, Finland. ravaja@hkkk.fi
Abstract:
The authors examined the effects of suboptimally presented facial expressions on emotional and attentional responses and memory among 39 young adults viewing video (business news) messages from a small screen. Facial electromyography (EMG) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia were used as physiological measures of emotion and attention, respectively. Several congruency priming effects were found. In particular, happy facial primes prompted increased (a) pleasure ratings, (b) orbicularis oculi EMG activity, (c) perceived trustworthiness, and (d) recognition memory for video messages with a positive emotional tone. Emotional and other responses to video messages presented on a small screen can be modified with suboptimal affective primes, but even small differences in the emotional tone of the messages should be allowed for.
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