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Related Experiment Video

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Using Facial Electromyography to Assess Facial Muscle Reactions to Experienced and Observed Affective Touch in Humans

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Startle modulation by affective faces.

Andrey P Anokhin¹, Simon Golosheykin

¹Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. andrey@matlock.wustl.edu

Biological Psychology

|October 17, 2009

Summary

Affective facial expressions significantly modulate the startle reflex. Negative expressions potentiate startle magnitude, particularly in females, while happy faces show no significant effect.

Area of Science:

Psychology
Neuroscience
Human Emotion Research

Background:

Startle reflex modulation by affective pictures is established.
Less is known about startle modulation by affective faces.
Facial expressions activate emotion-related brain circuits.

Purpose of the Study:

Investigate startle reflex modulation by affective facial expressions.
Examine the effect of expression valence and gender on startle magnitude.

Main Methods:

Administered acoustic startle probes to 37 young adults.
Participants viewed neutral, happy, angry, and fearful faces.
Analyzed startle reflex magnitude in response to different expressions.

Main Results:

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Expression valence significantly affected startle magnitude (p<.001).
Negative expressions (fearful, angry) strongly potentiated startle reflex.
Happy faces did not attenuate the startle reflex.
Females showed stronger startle potentiation effects.

Conclusions:

Affective facial expressions significantly modulate the startle reflex.
Negative facial expressions potentiate startle magnitude.
Gender influences the startle reflex modulation by facial affect.