Ability to Recognize Sadness in Ambiguous Facial Expressions Affects Empathy for Pain

doi:10.12139/j.1672-0628.2022.05.002

Abstract

Abstract: The present study investigated whether and how the ability to detect sadness in ambiguous facial expressions affects empathy for pain. High and low sadness recognition ability groups of participants were selected by asking them to complete a happiness-sadness expression boundary test. Participants’ electrophysiology data were recorded in a pain empathy task by asking participants to view painful and non-painful pictures from the perspective of others. Data showed that in the event-related potential components N2 and P3, the difference between the amplitude evoked by painful pictures and non-pain pictures was larger for the high sadness recognition ability group than that for the low sadness recognition ability group. These results suggest that the ability to detect sadness in ambiguous facial expressions affects both the early automatic processing and the later controlled processing of empathy for pain, so that people with better sadness recognition ability have higher levels of empathy for pain.

Key words: empathy for pain, sad expression, facial expression recognition, ERP

摘要： 本研究探讨了个体悲伤表情识别能力对其疼痛共情的影响。先以表情分界测验将被试分为高、低悲伤表情识别力组，之后让两组被试接受疼痛共情脑电测试。结果显示：在ERP成分N2、P3上，悲伤表情高识别力组观看疼痛与非疼痛图片时的波幅差异比低识别力组的更大。结果表明：悲伤表情识别能力会影响个体疼痛共情；悲伤表情高识别力个体在疼痛共情的早期自发加工以及晚期有意识认知评价之上，均强于悲伤表情低识别力个体。

关键词: 疼痛共情, 悲伤表情, 面部表情识别, ERP

CLC Number:

B842

ZHONG Weifang, GUO Yongxing. Ability to Recognize Sadness in Ambiguous Facial Expressions Affects Empathy for Pain[J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2022, 20(5): 585-592.

钟伟芳, 郭永兴. 悲伤表情识别能力影响疼痛共情—一项ERP研究[J]. 心理与行为研究, 2022, 20(5): 585-592.

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