Hemispheric asymmetries on the perception of facial expressions: a divided visual field study

Authors

  • Nelson Torro-Alves Universidade Federal da Paraíba; Departamento de Psicologia; Centro de Ciências Humanas, Letras e Artes
  • João Paulo Machado de Sousa Universidade de São Paulo
  • Sérgio Sheiji Fukusima Universidade de São Paulo

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-65642011005000004

Keywords:

Brain asymmetry, Facial expressions, Perception, Emotions

Abstract

Hemispheric differences on the perception of facial expressions of happiness, sadness, anger and fear were investigated. Twenty-one volunteers (9M, 12F) took part in the experiment. The divided visual field technique was used with the presentation of faces on the left and on the right side of the fixation point in the conditions: 1) emotional face on the left and neutral face on the right, 3) neutral face on the left and emotional face on the right; 3) emotional face on the right and on the left; 4) neutral face on the right and on the left. Participants determined the side on which the face seemed to show greater emotional intensity. Response time analysis revealed that sadness and fear were identified faster on the left visual field, suggesting an advantage of the right hemisphere on the recognition of those expressions. The recognition of negative expressions by the right hemisphere agrees partially with the valence hypothesis.

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Published

2011-01-01

Issue

Vol. 22 No. 1 (2011): Dora Fix Ventura

Section

Original Articles

License

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How to Cite

Hemispheric asymmetries on the perception of facial expressions: a divided visual field study. (2011). Psicologia USP, 22(1), 181-196. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-65642011005000004