Processing of facial emotional expression: spatio‐temporal data as assessed by scalp event‐related potentials

• DOI: 10.1046/j.0953-816x.2001.01454.x
• Publication Date: 2003-03-06T14:38:13Z
• Authors: P. Krolak‐Salmon; C. Fischer; A. Vighetto; F. Mauguière
• Keywords: Disgust; Emotional expression; Surprise; Stimulus (psychology)

Abstract Event‐related potentials (ERPs) were recorded in 10 adult volunteers, who asked to view pictures of faces with different emotional expressions, i.e. fear, happiness, disgust, surprise and neutral expression [Ekman, P. & Friesen, W.V. (1975). Pictures Facial Affect . Consulting Psychologist Press, Palo Alto, CA]. ERPs during two tasks the same stimuli. Firstly, subjects instructed pay attention gender by counting males or females. Secondly, they had focus on facial expressions looked surprised. The classical scalp ‘face‐related potentials’, a vertex‐positive potential bilateral temporal negativity, 150 ms after stimulus onset. Significant differences found, firstly between late‐latency faces, 250 550 latency and, secondly, among 750 latency. These appeared only discrimination task, not task. Topographic maps these showed specific right activity related each expression, some particularities being observed for expression. This study provides new data concerning spatio‐temporal features processing, particularly expressions.