title: When age matters: differences in facial mimicry and autonomic responses to peers' emotions in teenagers and adults.
abstract: Age-group membership effects on explicit emotional facial expressions recognition have been widely demonstrated. In this study we investigated whether Age-group membership could also affect implicit physiological responses, as facial mimicry and autonomic regulation, to observation of emotional facial expressions. To this aim, facial Electromyography (EMG) and Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia (RSA) were recorded from teenager and adult participants during the observation of facial expressions performed by teenager and adult models. Results highlighted that teenagers exhibited greater facial EMG responses to peers' facial expressions, whereas adults showed higher RSA-responses to adult facial expressions. The different physiological modalities through which young and adults respond to peers' emotional expressions are likely to reflect two different ways to engage in social interactions with coetaneous. Findings confirmed that age is an important and powerful social feature that modulates interpersonal interactions by influencing low-level physiological responses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Unit of Physiology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ardizzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Unit of Physiology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariateresa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sestito
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology - Clinical Psychology Unit, ASL1 Imperiese, Imperia, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martini
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Unit of Physiology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Alessandra
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Umiltà
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology - Clinical Psychology Unit, ASL1 Imperiese, Imperia, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ravera
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Unit of Physiology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gallese
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D004644:Emotions; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010379:Peer Group; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D055815:Young Adult