Cerebral asymmetry in autonomic conditioning to facial expressions: sex differences.
In the present experiment, sex differences in hemispheric asymmetry during classical conditioning to emotional stimuli are reported. 125 subjects (62 females and 63 males) were shown a slide of a happy face in the right (or left) visual half field (VHF), and simultaneously a slide of an angry face in the left (or right) VHF. Eight groups were formed by the combination of male and female subjects; left and right VHF positions of the angry/happy faces; and the administration/omission of the shock unconditioned stimulus (UCS). Dependent measures were skin conductance responses recorded from both hands. The results during extinction showed a significant larger SCR magnitude to the shock compared to the no-shock groups only for the female subjects. CS position during conditioning was also important in revealing differential responding to either the happy or angry faces. A right hemisphere effect was found for the angry face CS for both the male and female subjects, however with a greater difference for the females.
Johnsen
B H
BH
Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Norway.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D003214:Conditioning, Classical; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology