Psychology Department, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
Cogn Emot. 2011 Aug;25(5):868-85. doi: 10.1080/02699931.2010.515709. Epub 2011 May 24.
Eckhard Hess claimed that pupils dilate to pleasant images and constrict to unpleasant images. However, his work was confounded since his image's luminances and contrasts across conditions were inconsistent. We overcome this limitation and suggest a new, promising methodology for research in this area. We presented rightward or leftward facing male and female portraits by Rembrandt to observers in either their original or mirror-reversed position. Since emotional content may be expressed differently on each side of the face, we used Rembrandt's portraits since most of his males had their right-cheek exposed and females had their left-cheek exposed. This raises questions regarding the emotional and cognitive significance of such biased positioning. Simultaneously, we measured observers pupil size while asking observers to report how (dis)pleasing they found each image. We found that in viewing male portraits pupil diameter was a function of arousal. That is, larger pupil diameter occurred for images rated both low and high in pleasantness. We discuss these findings in regard to the perceived dominance of males and how emotional expressions may be driven by hemispheric laterality.
埃克哈德·赫斯（Eckhard Hess）声称，瞳孔会因愉快的图像而扩大，因不愉快的图像而收缩。然而，由于他的图像在不同条件下的亮度和对比度不一致，他的工作陷入了困境。我们克服了这一限制，并为该领域的研究提出了一种新的、有前途的方法。我们将伦勃朗（Rembrandt）的向右或向左的男性和女性肖像呈现给观察者，无论他们处于原始位置还是镜像反转位置。由于面部的每一侧可能以不同的方式表达情感内容，我们使用伦勃朗的肖像，因为他的大多数男性都露出右脸颊，而女性则露出左脸颊。这引发了关于这种偏向定位的情感和认知意义的问题。同时，我们测量了观察者的瞳孔大小，同时要求观察者报告他们觉得每张图像有多（不）愉快。我们发现，在观看男性肖像时，瞳孔直径是唤醒度的函数。也就是说，对于被评为愉快度低和高的图像，瞳孔直径都更大。我们讨论了这些发现，以了解男性的感知主导地位，以及情绪表达如何受到半球偏侧性的驱动。
