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Seeing "changes" that aren't there: facial and object discrimination in body dysmorphic disorder
Ulrike Buhlmann1, Lilith Rupf2, Mara J L Gleiss2
1Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Germany.
Comprehensive Psychiatry
|November 23, 2013
Summary
Individuals with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) are more likely to perceive changes in identical facial images than healthy individuals. This suggests heightened sensitivity to facial alterations in BDD.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychiatry
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Cognitive-behavioral models propose interpretive, attentional, and perceptual biases maintain body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).
- Aesthetic sensitivity's role in BDD is debated, with mixed prior findings on facial and object discrimination abilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate facial and object discrimination in individuals with BDD compared to dermatological patients and healthy controls.
- To assess sensitivity to changes in symmetry, color, and size in facial and object images.
Main Methods:
- A facial and object discrimination paradigm was employed.
- Participants included individuals with BDD (n=35), dermatological conditions (n=35), and healthy controls (n=35).
Main Results:
- No significant group differences were found in detecting actual changes in facial or object images.
- The BDD group significantly more often rated identical facial images as changed compared to non-BDD groups.
- No such difference was observed for object images.
Conclusions:
- Individuals with BDD exhibit a bias towards perceiving changes in facial stimuli, even when none exist.
- This heightened sensitivity to facial alterations may contribute to the maintenance of BDD.
- Findings contribute to understanding perceptual biases in BDD and differentiate facial from object processing.
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