Abstract
Facial expressions are potent social cues that can induce behavioral dispositions, such as approach-avoidance tendencies. We studied these tendencies by asking participants to make whole-body forward (approach) or backward (avoidance) steps on a force plate in response to the valence of social cues (happy or angry faces) under affect-congruent and incongruent mappings. Posturographic parameters of the steps related to automatic stimulus evaluation, step initiation (reaction time), and step execution were determined and analyzed as a function of stimulus valence and stimulus-response mapping. The main result was that participants needed more time to initiate a forward step towards an angry face than towards a smiling face (which is evidence of a congruency effect), but with backward steps, this difference failed to reach significance. We also found a reduction in spontaneous body sway prior to the step with the incongruent mapping. The results provide a crucial empirical link between theories of socially induced action tendencies and theories of postural control and suggest a motoric basis for socially guided motivated behavior.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 603-11 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Experimental Brain Research |
Volume | 212 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Aug 2011 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Adolescent
- Adult
- Emotions
- Facial Expression
- Female
- Humans
- Psychomotor Performance
- Reaction Time
- Social Behavior
- Social Perception
- Walking