¿Facilita la sorpresa la detección de la expresión facial de miedo?

Lilia Mestas Hernández; Fernando Gordillo León

doi:10.24310/escpsi.18.2.2025.21896

Authors

Lilia Mestas Hernández Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza (FESZ). Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.
Fernando Gordillo León University of Salamanca https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9628-3989

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24310/escpsi.18.2.2025.21896

Keywords:

Emoción, Expresiones faciales, Ira, Miedo, Paradigma de Posner, Sorpresa

Abstract

Facial expressions of surprise and fear share perceptual similarities that may influence their functionality in emotional detection processes. However, previous literature has reported inconsistent findings, possibly due to variations in temporal factors such as stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs). The present study aimed to examine the role of the surprise expression in the detection of threatening expressions (fear and anger) by manipulating different SOAs (50 ms, 100 ms, 150 ms, 200 ms). A modified spatial cueing task was employed, in which a surprised or neutral facial expression served as the orienting cue, followed by a target expression of fear or anger. The results showed that surprise expressions facilitated the detection of fear (relative to anger) when the cue appeared on the right side of the screen and the SOA was 50 ms. These findings contribute to the debate on the relationship between surprise and fear in emotional detection processes. Nevertheless, the modulatory role of temporal intervals in this relationship remains unclear and warrants further investigation using experimental designs that are more sensitive to subtle but theoretically relevant effects.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Anderson, A. K., & Phelps, E.A. (2001). Lesions of the human amygdala impair enhanced perception of emotionally salient events. Nature, 411(6835), 305-309. https://doi.org/10.1038/35077083 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/35077083

Anderson, E. C., Carleton, R. N., Diefenbach, M., & Han, P. K. J. (2019). The relationship between uncertainty and affect. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 2504. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02504 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02504

Calvo, M. G., Avero, P., & Lundqvist, D. (2006). Facilitated detection of angry faces: Initial orienting and processing efficiency. Cognition and Emotion, 20(6), 785-811. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699930500465224 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02699930500465224

Chamberland, J., Roy-Charland, A., Perron, M., & Dickinson, J. (2017). Distinction between fear and surprise: an interpretation-independent test of the perceptual-attentional limitation hypothesis. Social Neuroscience, 12(6), 751-768. https://doi.org/10.1080/17470919.2016.1251964 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17470919.2016.1251964

Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203771587 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203771587

De Valk, J. M., Wijnen, J.G., & Kret, M. E. (2015). Anger fosters action. Fast responses in a motor task involving approach movements toward angry faces and bodies. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 1240. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01240 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01240

Ekman, P. (1993). Facial expression and emotion. American Psychologist, 48, 384-392. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.48.4.384 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037//0003-066X.48.4.384

Ekman, P., & Friesen, W. V. (1976). Measuring facial movement. Environmental Psychology and Nonverbal Behaviour, 1(1), 56-75. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01115465 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01115465

Faul, F., Erdfelder, E., Buchner, A., & Lang, A. G. (2009). Statistical power analyses using G*Power 3.1: Tests for correlation and regression analyses. Behavior Research Methods 41, 1149–1160. https://doi.org/10.3758/BRM.41.4.1149 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BRM.41.4.1149

Feldman-Barrett, L. (2006). Solving the emotion paradox: Categorization and the experience of emotion. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 10(1), 20-46. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327957pspr1001_2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327957pspr1001_2

Feldman-Barrett, L. (2022). Context reconsidered: Complex signal ensembles, relational meaning, and population thinking in psychological science. American Psychologist, 77(8), 894-920. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0001054 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0001054

Fox, E., & Damjanovic, L. (2006). The eyes are sufficient to produce a threat superiority effect. Emotion, 6(3), 534-539. https://doi.org/10.1037/1528-3542.6.3.534 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/1528-3542.6.3.534

Fox, E., Lester, V., Russo, R., Bowles, R. J., Pichler, A., & Dutton, K. (2000). Facial expressions of emotion: Are angry faces detected more efficiently? Cognition & Emotion, 14(1), 61-92. https://doi.org/10.1080/026999300378996 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/026999300378996

Gazzaniga, M. S., Bogen, J. E., & Sperry, R. W. (1965). Observations on visual perception after disconnexion of the cerebral hemispheres in man. Brain: A journal of neurology, 88(2), 221–236. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/88.2.221 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/88.2.221

Gordillo, F., Mestas, L., Castillo, G., Pérez, M. A., Arana, J. M., & López, R. M. (2017). Las redes neuronales de la expresión facial. Revista de Neurología, 64(3), 125-132. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33588/rn.6403.2016224

Gordillo, F., Mestas, L., Fernández, M., Pérez, M.A., & Arana, J.M. (2022). Detecting facial expressions within a context of surprise and uncertainty. Anales de Psicología, 38(2), 375-381. https://doi.org/10.6018/analesps.408801 DOI: https://doi.org/10.6018/analesps.408801

Gordillo, F., Mestas, L., Pérez, M. A., & Arana, J. M. (2018). Role of surprise in the discrimination of the facial expression of fear: Part of a continuum? Spanish Journal of Psychology, 21, E3. https://doi.org/10.1017/sjp.2018.5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/sjp.2018.5

Gordillo, F., Mestas, L., Pérez, M. A., & Arana, J. M. (2019). The priming effect of a facial expression of surprise on the discrimination of a facial expression of fear. Current Psychology, 38(6), 1613-1621. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-017-9719-0 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-017-9719-0

Gordillo, F., Mestas, L., Pérez, M. P., & Arana, J. M. (2021). Detecting emotion faces in a Posner’s spatial cueing task: the adaptive value of surprise. Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 33(1), 38-48. https://doi.org/10.1080/20445911.2020.1862854 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/20445911.2020.1862854

Gosselin, P., & Kirouac, G. (1995). Le décodage de prototypes émotionnels faciaux (The decoding of emotional facial prototypes). Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology/Revue Canadienne De Psychologie Expérimentale, 49(3), 313-329. https://doi.org/10.1037/1196-1961.49.3.313 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/1196-1961.49.3.313

Horstmann, G., & Bauland, A. (2006). Search asymmetries with real faces: Testing the anger-superiority effect. Emotion, 6(2), 193-207. https://doi.org/10.1037/1528-3542.6.2.193 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/1528-3542.6.2.193

Iigaya, K. (2016). Adaptive learning and decision-making under uncertainty by metaplastic synapses guided by a surprise detection system. eLife 5, e18073. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.18073 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.18073

Jack R. E., Garrod O. G. B., & Schyns P. G. (2014). Dynamic facial expressions of emotion transmit an evolving hierarchy of signals over time. Current Biology, 24(2), 187-192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2013.11.064 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2013.11.064

Jack R. E., Sun W., Delis I., Garrod O. G. B., & Schyns P. G. (2016). Four not six: Revealing culturally common facial expressions of emotion. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 145(6), 708-730. https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0000162 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0000162

Juncai, S., Jing, Z., & Rong, S. (2017). Differentiating recognition for anger and fear facial expressions via inhibition of return. Journal of Psychology and Cognition, 2(1), 10-16. https://doi.org/10.35841/psychology-cognition.2.1.10-16 DOI: https://doi.org/10.35841/psychology-cognition.2.1.10-16

Krysko, K. M., & Rutherford, M. D. (2009). The face in the crowd effect: Threat-detection advantage with perceptually intermediate distractors. Visual Cognition, 17(8), 1205-1217. https://doi.org/10.1080/13506280902767789 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13506280902767789

Lazarus, R. S. (1991). Emotion and adaptation. New York: Oxford University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780195069945.001.0001

Lindquist, K. A., Wager, T. D., Kober, H., Bliss-Moreau, E., & Barrett, L. F. (2012). The brain basis of emotion: a meta-analytic review. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 35(3), 121-143. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X11000446 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X11000446

Liu, M., Liu, C. H., Zheng, S., Zhao, K., & Fu, X. (2021). Reexamining the neural network involved in perception of facial expression: A meta-analysis. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 131, 179-191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.024

Luo, W., Feng, W., He, W., Wang, N.-Y., & Luo, Y.-J. (2010). Three stages of facial expression processing: ERP study with rapid serial visual presentation. Neuroimage, 49(2), 1857-1867. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.09.018 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.09.018

McDougall, W. (1960). An introduction to social psychology. London: Methuen. (Original work published 1908). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/12261-000

Méndez-Bértolo, C., Moratti, S., Toledano, R., Lopez-Sosa, F., Martínez-Alvarez, R., Mah, Y. H., Vuilleumier, P., Gil-Nagel, A., & Strange, B. A. A fast pathway for fear in human amygdala. Nature Neuroscience, 19(8), 1041-1049. https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.4324. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.4324

Miceli, M., & Castelfranchi, C. (2015). Expectancy and emotion. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.

Mogg, K., & Bradley, B. P. (1999). Orienting of attention to threatening facial expressions presented under conditions of restricted awareness. Cognition and Emotion, 13(6), 713-740. https://doi.org/10.1080/026999399379050 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/026999399379050

Moors, A., Ellsworth, P. C., Scherer, K. R., & Frijda, N. H. (2013). Appraisal theories of emotion: State of the art and future development. Emotion Review, 5(2), 119–124. https://doi.org/10.1177/1754073912468165 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1754073912468165

Noordewier, M. K., & Breugelmans, S. M. (2013). On the valence of surprise. Cognition and Emotion, 27, 1326-1334. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2013.777660 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2013.777660

Öhman, A. (2005). The role of the amygdala in human fear: automatic detection of threat. Psychoneuroendocrinology 30(10), 953-958. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2005.03.019 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2005.03.019

Öhman, A., Carlsson, K., Lundqvist, D., & Ingvar, M. (2007). On the unconscious subcortical origin of human fear. Physiological & Behavior, 92, 180–185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2007.05.057 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2007.05.057

Öhman, A., Lundqvist, D., & Esteves, F. (2001). The face in the crowd revisited: A threat advantage with schematic stimuli. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 80(3), 381-396. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.80.3.381 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.80.3.381

Ortony, A., Clore, G., & Collins, A. (1988). The cognitive structure of emotions. New York: Cambridge University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511571299

Pérez-Dueñas, C., Acosta, A., & Lupiáñez, J. (2014). Reduced habituation to angry faces: Increased attentional capture as to override inhibition of return. Psychological Research, 78, 196-208. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-013-0493-9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-013-0493-9

Pinkham, A. E., Griffin, M., Baron, R., Sasson, N. J., & Gur, R. C. (2010). The face in the crowd effect: anger superiority when using real faces and multiple identities. Emotion, 10(1), 141-146. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017387 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017387

Posner, M. I., & Petersen, S. E. (1990). The attention system of the human brain. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 13, 25-42. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ne.13.030190.000325 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.neuro.13.1.25

Qianru, X., Chaoxiong, Y., Simeng, G., Zhonghua, H., Yi, L., Xueyan, L., Lihui, H., & Qiang, L. (2021). Negative and positive bias for emotional faces: evidence from the attention and working memory paradigms. Neural Plasticity, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/8851066 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/8851066

Reisenzein, R., Horstmann, G., & Schützwohl, A. (2019). The Cognitive-Evolutionary Model of Surprise: A Review of the evidence. Topics in Cognitive Science, 11, 50-74. https://doi.org/10.1111/tops.12292 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/tops.12292

Roseman, I. J. (1996) Appraisal Determinants of Emotions: Constructing a more accurate and comprehensive theory. Cognition & Emotion, 10(3), 241-278, https://doi.org/10.1080/026999396380240 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/026999396380240

Roy-Charland, A., Perron, M., Beaudry, O., & Eady, K. (2014). Confusion of fear and surprise: A test of the perceptual attentional limitation hypothesis with eye movement monitoring. Cognition & Emotion, 28, 1214-1222. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2013.878687 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2013.878687

Roy-Charland, A., Perron, M., Young, C., Boulard, J., & Chamberland, J. A. (2015). The confusion of fear and surprise: A developmental study of the perceptual-attentional limitation hypothesis using eye movements. The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 176, 281–298. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221325.2015.1066301 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00221325.2015.1066301

Russell, J. A., & Barrett, L. F. (1999). Core affect, prototypical emotional episodes, and other things called emotion: Dissecting the elephant. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76(5), 805-819. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.76.5.805 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.76.5.805

Sander, D., Grandjean, D., & Scherer, K. R. (2005). A systems approach to appraisal mechanisms in emotion. Neural Networks, 18(4), 317-352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neunet.2005.03.001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neunet.2005.03.001

Scarpina, F. (2020) Detection and recognition of fearful facial expressions during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic in an italian sample: An online experiment. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 2252. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02252 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02252

Scherer, K. R. (2001). Appraisal considered as a process of multilevel sequential checking. In K. R. Scherer, A. Schorr, & T. Johnstone (Eds.), Appraisal processes in emotion: Theory, methods, research (pp. 92–120). Oxford University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780195130072.003.0005

Schindler, S., & Bublatzky, F. (2020). Attention and emotion: An integrative review of emotional face processing as a function of attention. Cortex, 130, 362-386. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2020.06.010. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2020.06.010

Schneider, W., Eschman, A., & Zuccolotto, A. (2002). E-Prime Reference Guide [Computer software manual]. Pittsburgh: Psychology Software Tools Inc.

Tamietto, M., Pullens, P., de Gelder, B., Weiskrantz, L., & Goebel, R. (2012). Subcortical connections to human amygdala and changes following destruction of the visual cortex. Current Biology, 22, 1449-1455. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2012.06.006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2012.06.006

Topolinski, S., & Strack, F. (2015). Corrugator activity confirms immediate negative affect in surprise. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 134. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00134 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00134

Tottenham, N., Tanaka, J. W., Leon, A. C., McCarry, T., Nurse, M., Hare, T. A., Marcus, D. J., Westerlund, A., Casey, B. J., & Nelson, C. (2009). The NimStim set of facial expressions: Judgments from untrained research participants. Psychiatry Research, 168(3), 242-249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2008.05.006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2008.05.006

Trnka, R., Tavel P., & Hasto, J. (2015). Facial expression of fear in the context of human ethology: Recognition advantage in the perception of male faces. Neuro Endocrinol Lett, 36(2), 106-111.

Vuilleumier, P. (2002). Facial expression and selective attention. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 15, 291-300. https://doi.org/10.1097/00001504-200205000-00011 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/00001504-200205000-00011

Wilson, E., & MacLeod, C. (2003). Contrasting two accounts of anxiety-linked attentional bias: selective attention to varying levels of stimulus threat intensity. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 112(2), 212-218. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-843x.112.2.212 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-843X.112.2.212

Wirth, B. E., & Wentura, D. (2019). Attentional bias towards angry faces is moderated by the activation of a social processing mode in the general population. Cognition & Emotion, 33(7), 1317-1319. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2018.1561423 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2018.1561423