Positive facial expressions are recognized faster than negative facial expressions, but why?

Psychol Res. 2004 Dec;69(1-2):22-9. doi: 10.1007/s00426-003-0157-2. Epub 2003 Nov 29.

Abstract

Three experiments examined the recognition speed advantage for happy faces. The results replicated earlier findings by showing that positive (happy) facial expressions were recognized faster than negative (disgusted or sad) facial expressions (Experiments 1 and 2). In addition, the results showed that this effect was evident even when low-level physical differences between positive and negative faces were controlled by using schematic faces (Experiment 2), and that the effect was not attributable to an artifact arising from facilitated recognition of a single feature in the happy faces (up-turned mouth line, Experiment 3). Together, these results suggest that the happy face advantage may reflect a higher-level asymmetry in the recognition and categorization of emotionally positive and negative signals.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Affect*
  • Facial Expression*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Reaction Time*
  • Recognition, Psychology*
  • Time Factors
  • Visual Perception