Face in collision: emotional looming stimuli modulate interpersonal space across development and gender

• DOI: 10.1007/s00426-021-01590-7
• Publication Date: 2021-09-29T09:05:14Z
• Authors: Valentina Silvestri; Massimo Grassi; Elena Nava
• Keywords: Looming

Abstract Basic visual functions have evolved to allow for rapid detection of dynamic stimuli in our surrounding environment. In particular, looming are relevance because they expected enter the individual’s interpersonal space representing a potential threat. Different studies showed that emotions can modulate perception and borders space, defined as area around body individuals maintain between themselves others during social interactions. Here, we investigated how physiological correlates whether such indexes change across age gender. Children adults were asked quickly react emotional while measuring their skin conductance response (SCR). We found shrink males more than females, this pattern does not with age. addition, reacted faster angry happy neutral faces, which is line notion threatening capture attention other types stimuli. However, was observed children, suggesting experience negative stimuli, rather evolutionary meaning possess, may influence boundaries space. Overall, study suggests modulated by emotions, but appears be gender age: behavioural responses refine age, adult-like early 5 years