Emotions:Emotions:Hampson, E., van Anders, S. M., & Mullin, L. I. (2006). A female advantage in the recognition of emotional facial expressions: test of an evolutionary hypothesis. Evolution and Human Behavior, 27, 401-416.

Michelle Cruz

Priscilla Munoz

Maram Nazer

Differences between men and women [emotions]

YouTube VideoYouTube Video

Hampson, E., van Anders, S. M., & Mullin, L. I. (2006). A female advantage in the recognition of emotional facial expressions: test of an evolutionary hypothesis. Evolution and Human Behavior, 27, 401-416.

Facial Expressions

Elements of facial decoding are believed to have evolved from the need to be able to predict another individual’s emotional state and determine their future actions.

Universal Facial Expressions: Happiness Sadness Anger Fear Disgust Surprise

Hampson, E., van Anders, S. M., & Mullin, L. I. (2006). A female advantage in the recognition of emotional facial expressions: test of an evolutionary hypothesis. Evolution and Human Behavior, 27, 401-416.

Purpose of Article

To explore men and women’s evolved mechanisms for emotion facial decoding.

To focus on sex differences in identifying emotions to be able to provide an evolutionary perspective to the female advantage of recognizing emotion facial expressions.

Hampson, E., van Anders, S. M., & Mullin, L. I. (2006). A female advantage in the recognition of emotional facial expressions: test of an evolutionary hypothesis. Evolution and Human Behavior, 27, 401-416.

Hypotheses

Child-Rearing Hypothesis: Female superiority in detecting facial expressions may be due to the fact that women are natural “caretakers” and are more likely to raise healthy children. “Attachment Promotion”

A mother’s innate responsibility to tend to her child’s emotions.

“Fitness Threat” Women are better at recognizing negative emotions in

facial expressions. Negative emotions signal a threat in the environment. Only a caretaker can aid in protecting them against

emotional harm.

Hampson, E., van Anders, S. M., & Mullin, L. I. (2006). A female advantage in the recognition of emotional facial expressions: test of an evolutionary hypothesis. Evolution and Human Behavior, 27, 401-416.

Method

Participants: 31 men and 31 women Four tasks measured reaction time

and accuracy in facial recognition: Facial matching Facial identity Facial emotion Pattern matching

Hampson, E., van Anders, S. M., & Mullin, L. I. (2006). A female advantage in the recognition of emotional facial expressions: test of an evolutionary hypothesis. Evolution and Human Behavior, 27, 401-416.

Method (cont.)

Face labeling task used to assess if participants accurately recognized the emotions portrayed on the faces Verbally provide name for the emotion on the

faces on the response card Reaction times were recorded and accuracy

of decoding facial expressions indicated the sex differences in emotion facial recognition.

Hampson, E., van Anders, S. M., & Mullin, L. I. (2006). A female advantage in the recognition of emotional facial expressions: test of an evolutionary hypothesis. Evolution and Human Behavior, 27, 401-416.

Example of Response Card

Hampson, E., van Anders, S. M., & Mullin, L. I. (2006). A female advantage in the recognition of emotional facial expressions: test of an evolutionary hypothesis. Evolution and Human Behavior, 27, 401-416.

(From Hampson, E. et al., 2006, p. 405) Fig. 1. Example of response card layout (Facial Emotion condition)

Results

Accuracy of decoding facial expressions was similar between men and women. Only difference was when the participants were

presented with negative emotions. Large sex difference in reaction time of

decoding facial expressions. Females were faster at detecting neutral and

negative facial expressions.

Hampson, E., van Anders, S. M., & Mullin, L. I. (2006). A female advantage in the recognition of emotional facial expressions: test of an evolutionary hypothesis. Evolution and Human Behavior, 27, 401-416.

RT for Positive vs. Negative Emotions

(From Hampson, E. et al., 2006, pg. 410) Fig. 3. Analysis of the positive and negative composite scores revealed that the sex difference in RT was larger for negative emotions than for positive emotions.

Hampson, E., van Anders, S. M., & Mullin, L. I. (2006). A female advantage in the recognition of emotional facial expressions: test of an evolutionary hypothesis. Evolution and Human Behavior, 27, 401-416.

Critical Review

Informative Points Female superiority in detecting negative emotions

(evidence from RT only) The results encouraged further research to support the

fitness threat interpretation of child-rearing theory No significant sex difference in accuracy of recognition of

facial emotions

Weaknesses Results cannot be generalized to the whole population

due to a small sample size The study only tested participants with adult faces Emotion decoding based on interpretation of participants

(no standard definitions of emotions)

Hampson, E., van Anders, S. M., & Mullin, L. I. (2006). A female advantage in the recognition of emotional facial expressions: test of an evolutionary hypothesis. Evolution and Human Behavior, 27, 401-416.