Sex differences in the rapid detection of emotional facial expressions

澤田玲子・佐藤弥・河内山隆紀・魚野翔太・久保田泰考・義村さや香・十一元三

背景： 先行研究は，表情認識といった表情の処理に性差があること，感情を表す表情は中性表情よりもすばやく検出されること，を報告してきた． しかし，感情表情のすばやい検出における性差は不明であった． 

方法・主要結果： 我々は，44人の女性と46人の男性を対象として，視覚探索課題において怒りと幸福の通常表情と逆表情を検出する反応時間を計測した． 逆表情は，中性表情を基準とすると感情表情と同量の相貌変化を表出し，感情的には中性と認識された． 表情刺激に対する主観感情の評定も調べた． 反応時間の結果は，男女とも，通常表情を逆表情よりも早く検出し，通常怒りを通常幸福より早く検出することを示した． しかし，主観感情評定では男女で異なるパタンが示された． さらに，主観感情評定と反応時間の関係において，性差が示された． 高い活性度とすばやい検出の結合は女性においてより顕著であり，不快な感情価とすばやい検出の結合は男性においてより顕著であった． 

結論： こうした結果は，女性と男性が，表情に対する主観感情反応において異なっており，感情による表情検出の調整において異なっていることを示唆する．

PLoS One DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0094747

Background Previous studies have shown that females and males differ in the processing of emotional facial expressions including the recognition of emotion, and that emotional facial expressions are detected more rapidly than are neutral expressions. However, whether the sexes differ in the rapid detection of emotional facial expressions remains unclear. Methodology/Principal Findings We measured reaction times (RTs) during a visual search task in which 44 females and 46 males detected normal facial expressions of anger and happiness or their anti-expressions within crowds of neutral expressions. Anti-expressions expressed neutral emotions with visual changes quantitatively comparable to normal expressions. We also obtained subjective emotional ratings in response to the facial expression stimuli. RT results showed that both females and males detected normal expressions more rapidly than anti-expressions and normal-angry expressions more rapidly than normal-happy expressions. However, females and males showed different patterns in their subjective ratings in response to the facial expressions. Furthermore, sex differences were found in the relationships between subjective ratings and RTs. High arousal was more strongly associated with rapid detection of facial expressions in females, whereas negatively valenced feelings were more clearly associated with the rapid detection of facial expressions in males. Conclusion Our data suggest that females and males differ in their subjective emotional reactions to facial expressions and in the emotional processes that modulate the detection of facial expressions.

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