It is Written in Your Eyes: Hostile Attributions and Self-Directed Gaze Perception in Incarcerated Violent Adolescent Male Offenders

Abstract

To date, we have frugal knowledge about the hostile attribution bias (HAB) and the biased gaze perception in violent adolescent offenders. This however is a major contributing factor in understanding delinquent behavior. Using a computer-based approach, presenting faces modulated in gaze direction (0°, 2°, 4°, 6°, 8°) and valence (angry, fearful, happy, neutral), the present study examined the impact of HAB of the feeling of being stared at in a sample of 27 adolescent offenders (aged 17-24 years). The study was conducted institution-intern in the Department for Social Therapy of a German correctional facility. Results showed that in comparison with faces with negative expressions, happy faces were more likely to be perceived as self-directed. Interestingly, emotion showed significant influence of the gaze perception in only two viewing angles (2° and 6°), revealing the role of the facial expression in highly ambiguous conditions. Furthermore, hostility did not modulate the relationship between the self-referential gaze perception and (negative) facial expression. Possible frameworks and limitations of the study are discussed.

The Computations of hostile biases (CHB) model: Grounding hostility biases in a unified cognitive framework

“…Another study found that the HAB was not associated with gaze perception in violent adolescent offenders (Karadenizova & Dahle, 2018). This study also showed that happy facial expressions elicited a stronger feeling of being looked at (r = 0.36).…”