Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 10, 2026
08:25
Measuring Attentional Biases for Threat in Children and Adults
Published on: October 19, 2014
15.8K
Children's automatic processing of adult face aggression cues.
Enguang Chen1, Xinyue Zhang1, Yuan Sang2
1Faculty of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250358, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Science and Mental Health, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250358, China.
Neuropsychologia
|November 23, 2025
Summary
Children can detect aggression cues from facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR). High fWHR faces are perceived as more aggressive and automatically processed by children, unlike low fWHR faces.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Social Neuroscience
- Facial Perception
Background:
- Facial cues are vital for survival, particularly in children's development.
- Adults automatically perceive aggression in high facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) male faces.
- Children's ability to perceive aggression from fWHR is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate children's perception of aggression based on fWHR.
- To determine if children automatically process facial aggression cues related to fWHR.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted with children aged approximately 9.6 years.
- Experiment 1: Children rated aggression in faces with high vs. low fWHR.
- Experiment 2: Visual mismatch negativity (vMMN) measured automatic processing using an oddball paradigm with high vs. low fWHR faces.
Main Results:
- Children perceived high fWHR faces as more aggressive than low fWHR faces.
- High fWHR faces elicited a visual mismatch negativity (vMMN) response (270-330 ms).
- Low fWHR faces did not elicit a vMMN response, indicating automatic processing of high fWHR faces.
Conclusions:
- Children can detect aggression cues from facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR).
- Children automatically process facial information from high fWHR faces.
- This automatic processing of aggression cues develops early in childhood.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Facial Feedback Hypothesis
546
Charles Darwin proposed that facial expressions are an evolutionary adaptation for communication. He argued that these expressions are not influenced by culture but are universal across species. For example, a snarling expression with exposed teeth signals a threat in many animals, including humans. Darwin also suggested that displaying an emotion can intensify the feeling. Smiling, for example, could enhance one's sense of happiness. This idea laid the foundation for understanding the role...
546
01:47Aggression
30.1K
Humans engage in aggression when they seek to cause harm or pain to another person. Aggression takes two forms depending on one’s motives: hostile or instrumental. Hostile aggression is motivated by feelings of anger with intent to cause pain; a fight in a bar with a stranger is an example of hostile aggression. In contrast, instrumental aggression is motivated by achieving a goal and does not necessarily involve intent to cause pain (Berkowitz, 1993); a contract killer who murders for...
30.1K
01:28Automatic Processing and Automatic Social Behavior
201
Automatic processing refers to the cognitive operations that occur without conscious intent or awareness, playing a fundamental role in shaping social cognition and behavior. These processes enable individuals to navigate complex social environments efficiently by relying on mental shortcuts and pre-existing knowledge structures known as schemas. One of the most influential mechanisms underlying automatic processing is priming, which subtly activates mental representations through exposure to...
201
01:21Association Areas of the Cortex
8.7K
Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
8.7K
01:24Prosopagnosia
671
Prosopagnosia, also known as face blindness, is the inability to recognize faces. In severe cases, individuals with prosopagnosia may not recognize close family members, including parents and spouses, by their faces. For instance, someone with prosopagnosia might walk past their child in a crowd, only realizing their mistake upon noticing their child's distinctive backpack or favorite jacket. Prosopagnosia specifically impairs facial recognition, while the recognition of other objects or...
671
01:14Piaget's Stage 1 of Cognitive Development
1.5K
The sensorimotor stage, the initial phase of Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, spans the first two years of a child's life. During this period, infants actively engage with their surroundings, building cognitive awareness through direct interaction with the world. This interaction is primarily based on sensory perception and motor actions, allowing infants to gradually understand basic physical properties and predict how objects interact within their environment.
Exploration...
Exploration...
1.5K