The world smiles at me: self-referential positivity bias when interpreting direction of attention

Recent research suggests that eye-gaze direction modulates perceived emotional expression. Here we explore the extent to which emotion affects interpretation of attention direction. We captured three-dimensional face models of 8 actors expressing happy, fearful, angry and neutral emotions. From these 3D models 9 views were extracted (0°, 2°, 4°, 6°, 8° to the left and right). These stimuli were randomly presented for 150 ms. Using a forced-choice paradigm 28 participants judged for each face whether or not it was attending to them. Two conditions were tested: either the whole face was visible, or the eyes were covered. In both conditions happy faces elicited most "attending-to-me" answers. Thus, emotional expression has a more general effect than an influence on gaze direction: emotion affects interpretation of attention direction. We interpret these results as a self-referential positivity bias, suggesting a general preference to associate a happy face with the self.     

Sex differences in the perception of affective facial expressions: Do men really lack emotional sensitivity?

There is evidence that men and women display differences in both cognitive and affective functions. Recent studies have examined the processing of emotions in males and females. However, the findings are inconclusive, possibly the result of methodological differences. The aim of this study was to investigate the perception of emotional facial expressions in men and women. Video clips of neutral faces, gradually morphing into full-blown expressions were used. By doing this, we were able to examine both the accuracy and the sensitivity in labelling emotional facial expressions. Furthermore, all participants completed an anxiety and a depression rating scale. Research participants were 40 female students and 28 male students. Results revealed that men were less accurate, as well as less sensitive in labelling facial expressions. Thus, men show an overall worse performance compared to women on a task measuring the processing of emotional faces. This result is discussed in relation to recent findings.     

Female condition influences preferences for sexual dimorphism in faces of male humans (Homo sapiens)

In some species, female condition correlates positively with preferences for male secondary sexual traits. Women's preferences for sexually dimorphic characteristics in male faces (facial masculinity) have recently been reported to covary with self-reported attractiveness. As women's attractiveness has been proposed to signal reproductive condition, the findings in human (Homo sapiens) and other species may reflect similar processes. The current study investigated whether the covariation between condition and preferences for masculinity would generalize to 2 further measures of female attractiveness: other-rated facial attractiveness and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). Women with high (unattractive) WHR and/or relatively low other-rated facial attractiveness preferred more "feminine" male faces when choosing faces for a long-term relationship than when choosing for a short-term relationship, possibly reflecting diverse tactics in female mate choice.     

Neural representation for the perception of the intentionality of actions

A novel population of cells is described, located in the anterior part of the superior temporal sulcus (STSa, sometimes called STPa) of the temporal lobe in the macaque monkey. These cells respond selectively to the sight of reaching but only when the agent performing the action is seen to be attending to the target position of the reaching. We describe how such conditional selectivity can be generated from the properties of distinct cell populations within STSa. One cell population responds selectively to faces, eye gaze, and body posture, and we argue that subsets of these cells code for the direction of attention of others. A second cell population is selectively responsive to limb movement in certain directions (e.g., responding to an arm movement to the left but not to an equivalent leg movement or vice versa). The responses of a subset of cells sensitive to limb movement are modulated by the direction of attention (indicated by head and body posture of the agent performing the action). We conclude that this combined analysis of direction of attention and body movements supports the detection of intentional actions.     

国外有关异种移植与伦理学的讨论

今天,医学界的许多问题已经在公众调查方面很公开了。异种移植在成为一种临床治疗手段后,势必也将带来激烈的讨论。国外有关这一方面的讨论较多,主要集中在以下几个方面。在60年代早期,外科医生尝试了用黑猩猩和狒狒的肾、心及肝进行异种移植,早期的研究工作多集中在异种移植的技术可行性及操作过程。在当时,有关异种移植的伦理学问题尚未提出。1984年,在Ｂａｉｌｅｙ及其同事完成了一例狒狒心脏移植到一新生儿体内后,伦理学的问题如“一石激起千层浪”,顿时在美国医学界引起争论。在那时,由于缺少供体,所以在器官短缺的前提下,有关伦理学的…     

Computer graphic studies of the role of facial similarity in judgements of attractiveness

Anecdotally, spouses are often said to resemble one another. This study investigates the effects of similarity between participants and stimuli on judgements of facial attractiveness: does “like prefer like”? Using computer graphic techniques, opposite sex facial stimuli were generated from subjects' photographs. Experiment 1 showed a correlation between attractiveness and similarity but the effect can be explained by the attractiveness of average faces. Beyond this, there was a trend for individual subjects to rate opposite sex images with a similar face shape to their own face as more attractive than other subjects. Experiment 2 allowed subjects to interactively manipulate an opposite sex facial image along a continuum from a self-similar shape, through an average face shape, to a face with opposite characteristics. No significant preferences for self-similar or opposite characteristics were found. Preferences for average faces are stronger than preferences for self-similar faces.     

Computer graphic studies of the role of facial similarity in judgements of attractiveness

Anecdotally, spouses are often said to resemble one another. This study investigates the effects of similarity between participants and stimuli on judgements of facial attractiveness: does “like prefer like”? Using computer graphic techniques, opposite sex facial stimuli were generated from subjects' photographs. Experiment 1 showed a correlation between attractiveness and similarity but the effect can be explained by the attractiveness of average faces. Beyond this, there was a trend for individual subjects to rate opposite sex images with a similar face shape to their own face as more attractive than other subjects. Experiment 2 allowed subjects to interactively manipulate an opposite sex facial image along a continuum from a self-similar shape, through an average face shape, to a face with opposite characteristics. No significant preferences for self-similar or opposite characteristics were found. Preferences for average faces are stronger than preferences for self-similar faces.