Attention Bias of Emotional Body Language in Autism Spectrum Disorders

doi:10.12139/j.1672-0628.2023.03.002

Abstract

Abstract:

Emotional body language is a typical non-literal form of language to convey emotional information in social situations. This study investigated the characteristics and cognitive mechanisms of emotional body language processing in individuals with autism in terms of attentional bias. In Experiment 1, the participants were presented with emotional body language images of happiness, anger and fear by using the dot detection paradigm. The results showed that no attentional bias to certain kinds of emotional body language was found in the autism group. In Experiment 2, free browsing paradigm with higher ecological validity was used to investigate the eye movement characteristics of the emotional body language images in the individuals with autism. The results showed that avoidance to sad body language, facilitation to happy body language and difficulty of disengagement to happy body language were found in the autism group. The results indicate that attentional bias characteristics of emotional body language in the individuals with autism are different. The free browsing paradigm has higher sensitivity and validity on recognizing attentional bias of emotional body language.

Key words: autism spectrum disorder, emotional body language, attention bias

摘要：

情绪躯体语言是在社交场合中传递情绪信息的典型非字面语言形式，包含重要社交信息。本研究从注意偏向角度考察孤独症个体的情绪躯体语言加工特点和认知机制。实验1采用点探测范式向被试呈现高兴、愤怒、恐惧、悲伤情绪躯体语言图片，考察孤独症个体的注意偏向特点。结果显示孤独症组未表现出对某类情绪躯体语言的注意偏向。实验2进一步采用生态效度更高的自由浏览范式考察孤独症组对情绪躯体语言图片的眼动特点。结果显示孤独症组对悲伤躯体语言注意回避，对高兴躯体语言注意增强和注意解离困难。结果表明，孤独症个体对不同类型的情绪躯体语言的注意偏向特征不同。自由浏览范式对于识别孤独症情绪躯体语言的注意偏向特点具有较高的灵敏性。

关键词: 孤独症谱系障碍, 情绪躯体语言, 注意偏向

CLC Number:

B842

Chengshi LI, Hongjun JIANG, Jinsheng HU. Attention Bias of Emotional Body Language in Autism Spectrum Disorders[J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2023, 21(3): 296-303.

李骋诗, 江宏君, 胡金生. 孤独症谱系障碍者情绪躯体语言的注意偏向[J]. 心理与行为研究, 2023, 21(3): 296-303.

Figures/Tables 8

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基本特征	ASD组(n=15)	TD组(n=21)	t	p
生理年龄(岁)	20.36±1.05	20.15±0.89	−0.81	0.522
AQ	37.31±0.49
韦氏言语智力	99.95±1.81	100.65±2.48	−1.05	0.301
韦氏操作智力	102.68±2.25	103.70±2.39	−1.42	0.163
韦氏全量表智力	102.60±2.24	103.25±2.22	−0.96	0.351

基本特征	ASD组(n=15)	TD组(n=21)	t	p
生理年龄(岁)	20.36±1.05	20.15±0.89	−0.81	0.522
AQ	37.31±0.49
韦氏言语智力	99.95±1.81	100.65±2.48	−1.05	0.301
韦氏操作智力	102.68±2.25	103.70±2.39	−1.42	0.163
韦氏全量表智力	102.60±2.24	103.25±2.22	−0.96	0.351

情绪类型	探测点与目标刺激位置一致性	ASD组		TD组
情绪类型	探测点与目标刺激位置一致性	M	SD	M	SD
高兴	一致	748.34	213.84	402.64	73.43
高兴	不一致	730.02	191.59	424.48	76.54
愤怒	一致	727.62	278.22	324.58	419.54
愤怒	不一致	723.87	298.28	415.42	73.02
恐惧	一致	747.73	184.93	440.86	56.96
恐惧	不一致	727.75	185.12	602.05	304.87
悲伤	一致	795.79	255.05	400.45	179.39
悲伤	不一致	803.04	198.72	475.16	246.86
中性		816.94	269.25	440.88	123.68

情绪类型	探测点与目标刺激位置一致性	ASD组		TD组
情绪类型	探测点与目标刺激位置一致性	M	SD	M	SD
高兴	一致	748.34	213.84	402.64	73.43
高兴	不一致	730.02	191.59	424.48	76.54
愤怒	一致	727.62	278.22	324.58	419.54
愤怒	不一致	723.87	298.28	415.42	73.02
恐惧	一致	747.73	184.93	440.86	56.96
恐惧	不一致	727.75	185.12	602.05	304.87
悲伤	一致	795.79	255.05	400.45	179.39
悲伤	不一致	803.04	198.72	475.16	246.86
中性		816.94	269.25	440.88	123.68

基本特征	ASD组(n=21)	TD组(n=21)	t	p
生理年龄(岁)	19.32±1.01	20.15±0.89	−0.45	0.433
AQ	37.68±0.33
韦氏言语智力	100.78±1.65	100.65±2.48	0.25	0.221
韦氏操作智力	103.55±2.01	103.70±2.39	−0.32	0.150
韦氏全量表智力	104.10±1.27	103.25±2.22	0.96	0.322