Saccadic eye movements are deployed faster for salient facial stimuli, but are relatively indifferent to their emotional content

Webb, Abigail; Asher, Jordi M.; Hibbard, Paul B.

doi:10.1016/j.visres.2022.108054

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…In Experiment 5 (Fig. 5E), our observation of no influence of instructed facial affect on the EVR resonate with recent studies questioning the “threat bias” theory (Bannerman et al, 2009, 2010; Hansen & Hansen, 1988; Niedenthal, 1990), finding that methodological controls eliminate saccadic preferences towards angry faces (Coelho et al, 2010; Thierry et al, 2007; Webb et al, 2022). This indicates that the mechanism underlying the EVR can distinguish between evolutionary relevant objects (faces) and abstract objects (scrambled images), but cannot distinguish between abstract objects nor faces of different affect.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

“…In Experiment 1, we observed a similar but smaller effect on EVR expression only when the face was on the left and the scrambled image was on the right. The results in Experiments 1 and 2 are consistent with studies showing that low-spatial frequency, high-contrast, and more salient stimuli evoke larger magnitude EVRs, more express saccades, and stronger visual responses in the movement-related layers of the SC (Chen et al, 2018; Marino et al, 2012; Meeter & Van der Stigchel, 2013; Webb et al, 2022).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

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Rapid integration of face detection and task set in visually guided reaching

Mekhaiel,

Goodale,

Corneil

2023

Preprint

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The superior colliculus (SC) has been increasingly implicated in the rapid processing of evolutionarily relevant visual stimuli like faces, but the behavioural relevance of such processing is not clear. The SC has also been implicated in the generation of upper-limb Express Visuomotor Responses (EVRs) on upper limb muscles, which are very short-latency (within ∼80 ms) bursts of muscle activity time-locked to visual target presentation. This reasoning led us to investigate the influence of faces on EVRs.We recorded upper limb muscle activity from young healthy participants as they reached toward left or right targets in the presence of a distractor stimulus presented on the opposite side. Across blocks of trials, we varied the instruction as to which stimulus served as the target or distractor. Doing so allowed us to assess the impact of instruction on muscle recruitment by examining trials when the exact same stimuli required a reach to either the left or right. We found that EVRs were uniquely modulated in tasks involving face selection, promoting reaches toward or away from faces depending on instruction. Follow-up experiments confirmed that this phenomenon required highly salient repeated faces, and was not observed to non-facial salient stimuli nor to faces expressing different affect. We conclude that our results attest to an integration of top-down task set and bottom-up feature detection to promote rapid motor responses to faces at latencies that match or precede the arrival of face information in human cortex.STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCEThe tecto-reticulo-spinal pathway is hypothesized to mediate the express visuomotor response (EVR). This study extends this hypothesis by demonstrating that face detection in the subcortex impacts low-latency movement via the EVR at latencies preceding cortical activity for face perception. To date, this constitutes the most direct evidence for direct behavioural relevance of rapid face detection in the brainstem. Further, we find that this response can be modulated by task context, allowing for different instruction-based responses given the exact same visual stimulus and implicating top-down cortical control of the EVR.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Rapid integration of face detection and task set in visually guided reaching

Mekhaiel,

Goodale,

Corneil

2023

Preprint

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“…This suggests that subjective pleasantness and arousal levels do not influence average saccadic distances. While this finding contrasts with studies demonstrating saccadic amplitudes in response to emotional faces [19,39,40], it contributes to the consistency in the literature that suggests facial affective pleasure does not impact saccadic eye movements [34,35].…”

Section: Influence Of Emotions On Saccadic Distances In Facial Stimulicontrasting

confidence: 94%

“…Instead, perceptual salience factors of faces are more likely to influence eye movement speed. The viewpoint is supported by research carried out by a few previous studies [34,35]. Therefore, the relationship between emotional pleasure or arousal and eye movement indicators may be more complex, and further research is needed to elucidate the precise connection between the subjective emotional perception of different facial stimuli and eye movement behavior.…”

Section: The Impact Of Pleasure and Arousal On Eye Movementsmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…The discrepancies in the research findings regarding the role of facial affect perception in eliciting emotional responses can be attributed to variations in experimental approaches and factors, as suggested by C. S. Hu et al, highlighting the necessity of experimental intervention factors, such as manipulating participants' scanning paths by specifying scanning facial eye regions [40]. However, Webb et al showed that facial affect perception did not influence saccadic eye movements, indicating the absence of the behavioral manipulation of participants' scanning paths and only requiring them to look at facial images [34]. This suggests that the degree of facial affect perception may not play a role in manipulating participants' scanning paths, and our experimental intervention, in summary, did not impose any requirements on manipulating participants' scanning paths, indicating that viewers' saccadic distances were not influenced by differences in pleasure and arousal levels.…”

Section: Influence Of Emotions On Saccadic Distances In Facial Stimulimentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cultural Influences on Saccadic Patterns in Facial Perception: A Comparative Study of American and Japanese Real and Animated Faces

Chen,

Chang

2023

Applied Sciences

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This study investigated the influence of saccadic eye movements and emotions on real and animated faces to enhance a detailed perception of facial information. Considering the cross-cultural differences in facial features, animated faces also influence visual preferences due to their unique visual appeal. Since there are differences in facial features across cultures, animated faces can also impact visual preferences due to their unique visual appeal. This study involved 60 participants and utilized four stimulus conditions, including real and animated faces from America and Japan. A five-point Likert scale was employed to measure participants’ subjective emotional pleasure and arousal levels, while eye-tracking equipment was used to analyze participants’ saccadic eye movements. The results revealed that, in comparison to Japanese real faces (JT), American real faces (AT) exhibited significantly greater average saccadic distances (AT: 113.03 ± 46.26, JT: 110.78 ± 45.55, p < 0.05). However, there was no statistically significant difference in the average saccadic distance between Japanese and American animated faces (109.88 ± 45.73 and 110.85 ± 45.31, respectively). Additionally, evaluating the mediating role of pleasure and arousal levels among these facial stimuli did not impact saccadic behavior. Our observations suggest that cultural factors wield a pronounced impact on saccadic behavior within real-life scenarios. However, these cultural nuances appear to attenuate in virtual and abstract animated environments. This study’s findings shed new light on the dynamic relationship between saccadic eye movements, emotions, and cultural dimensions, unraveling complexities in facial perception across diverse cultural landscapes. The implications of our research extend to animation, serving as a catalyst for further exploration in this burgeoning field.

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Virtual Reality for Vision Science

Hibbard

2023

Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences

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Saccadic eye movements are deployed faster for salient facial stimuli, but are relatively indifferent to their emotional content

Cited by 5 publications

References 50 publications

Rapid integration of face detection and task set in visually guided reaching

Rapid integration of face detection and task set in visually guided reaching

Cultural Influences on Saccadic Patterns in Facial Perception: A Comparative Study of American and Japanese Real and Animated Faces

Virtual Reality for Vision Science

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