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Updated: Jul 19, 2025

Measuring Attentional Biases for Threat in Children and Adults
Published on: October 19, 2014
Infection detection in faces: Children's development of pathogen avoidance
Tiffany S Leung1, Guangyu Zeng1,2, Sarah E Maylott3
1Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA.
Abstract:
This study examined the development of children's avoidance and recognition of sickness using face photos from people with natural, acute, contagious illness. In a U.S. sample of fifty-seven 4- to 5-year-olds (46% male, 70% White), fifty-two 8- to 9-year-olds (26% male, 62% White), and 51 adults (59% male, 61% White), children and adults avoided and recognized sick faces (ds ranged from 0.38 to 2.26). Both avoidance and recognition improved with age. Interestingly, 4- to 5-year-olds' avoidance of sick faces positively correlated with their recognition, suggesting stable individual differences in these emerging skills. Together, these findings are consistent with a hypothesized immature but functioning and flexible behavioral immune system emerging early in development. Characterizing children's sickness perception may help design interventions to improve health.
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