Emotional mirroring and gaze cueing effects
Emotional mirroring and gaze cueing effects

Summary/Abstract: The relationship between joint attention, emotional mirroring, and the facial feedback hypothesis was examined. Previous research has determined that individuals automatically shift attention in the direction of an observer’s gaze. Furthermore, it has been shown that individuals automatically mimic the expression and emotional state of observers. However, it is unclear if facilitatory gaze cuing effects would be observed if participants were required to match the expression of the cue. It was hypothesized that participants would exhibit faster reaction times when gaze direction was congruent compared to incongruent with target location. Furthermore, it was expected that this effect would be enhanced when the facial expression of both the cue and participant matched compared to mismatched. To begin the experiment, participants either inhibited (N = 22) or promoted (N = 22) the muscles associated with smiling by holding a pen in their mouth identical to the original work on the facial feedback hypothesis (Strack, Martin, & Stepper, 1988). From there, participants completed 288 trials, where they responded to a target circle that was preceded by a happy, happy inhibited, or neutral face that looked towards or away from the target. Critically, gaze cues were nonpredictive. Though participants were faster to respond to targets congruent with the location of the gaze, the emotional expression of the participant nor that of the cue moderated these effects. As such, it appears individuals will still follow the direction of the cue, even in situations where their facial expression misaligns with that of the cue.

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