Do facial expressions direct our attention?

Mark Williams

Kanwisher Lab, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT

We have evolved in social environments where it is important to readily understand the emotions and intentions of others. The human amygdala responds selectively to both consciously and unconsciously perceived facial expressions, particularly those that convey potential threat. I will present a series of experiments using a visual search paradigm that suggest that facial expressions do direct our attention, however it depends on the facial expression presented. Further, I will show that angry male faces capture attention, and males detect direct threat in the environment faster than females. As males are usually the aggressor, this sex specific threat detection system may have evolved to aid survival.