Differentiating neural sensitivity and bias during face-emotion processing in youth: a computational approach

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Interpreting facial emotions is crucial for social development.
• Understanding age-related changes in face-emotion labeling is important.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate behavioral and neural associations between face-emotion labeling metrics (sensitivity and bias) and age in youth.
• To examine how age influences the interpretation of facial emotions using computational modeling and fMRI.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a novel variant of a computational drift-diffusion model on fMRI data from youth and adults (ages 8-36).
• Assessed sensitivity and bias in face-emotion labeling using choice and reaction time data.
• Modeled brain activity related to face-emotion valence and ambiguity.

Main Results:

• Behavioral analysis showed a significant association between age and perceptual sensitivity to face emotions.
• The bilateral anterior insula demonstrated a stronger neural response to emotional ambiguity with increasing age.
• Neural activation patterns linked to face-emotion valence and ambiguity systems correlated with sensitivity and bias metrics.

Conclusions:

• Age-related improvements in perceptual sensitivity to facial affect occur throughout adolescence and young adulthood.
• Both valence and ambiguity processing systems contribute to the ability to discriminate facial emotions.
• The findings provide insights into the developmental trajectory of social-cognitive abilities.