title: All in the first glance: first fixation predicts individual differences in valence bias.
abstract: Surprised expressions are interpreted as negative by some people, and as positive by others. When compared to fearful expressions, which are consistently rated as negative, surprise and fear share similar morphological structures (e.g. widened eyes), but these similarities are primarily in the upper part of the face (eyes). We hypothesised, then, that individuals would be more likely to interpret surprise positively when fixating faster to the lower part of the face (mouth). Participants rated surprised and fearful faces as either positive or negative while eye movements were recorded. Positive ratings of surprise were associated with longer fixation on the mouth than negative ratings. There were also individual differences in fixation patterns, with individuals who fixated the mouth earlier exhibiting increased positive ratings. These findings suggest that there are meaningful individual differences in how people process faces.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , University of Nebraska-Lincoln , Lincoln , NE , USA.
authors.forename: Maital
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Neta
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , University of Nebraska-Lincoln , Lincoln , NE , USA.
authors.forename: Tien T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , University of Nebraska-Lincoln , Lincoln , NE , USA.
authors.forename: Monica L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Rosen
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , University of Nebraska-Lincoln , Lincoln , NE , USA.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Enersen
authors.affiliation: b Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences , Dartmouth College , Hanover , NH , USA.
authors.forename: M Justin
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , University of Nebraska-Lincoln , Lincoln , NE , USA.
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Dodd
mesh_terms: D015982:Bias; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005403:Fixation, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Emotional ambiguity; eye tracking; fear; individual differences; surprise