Ardizzi Martina, Sestito Mariateresa, Martini Francesca, Umiltà Maria Alessandra, Ravera Roberto, Gallese Vittorio
Department of Neuroscience, Unit of Physiology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
Department of Psychology - Clinical Psychology Unit, ASL1 Imperiese, Imperia, Italy.
PLoS One. 2014 Oct 22;9(10):e110763. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110763. eCollection 2014.
Age-group membership effects on explicit emotional facial expressions recognition have been widely demonstrated. In this study we investigated whether Age-group membership could also affect implicit physiological responses, as facial mimicry and autonomic regulation, to observation of emotional facial expressions. To this aim, facial Electromyography (EMG) and Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia (RSA) were recorded from teenager and adult participants during the observation of facial expressions performed by teenager and adult models. Results highlighted that teenagers exhibited greater facial EMG responses to peers' facial expressions, whereas adults showed higher RSA-responses to adult facial expressions. The different physiological modalities through which young and adults respond to peers' emotional expressions are likely to reflect two different ways to engage in social interactions with coetaneous. Findings confirmed that age is an important and powerful social feature that modulates interpersonal interactions by influencing low-level physiological responses.
年龄组成员身份对明确的情绪面部表情识别的影响已得到广泛证实。在本研究中，我们调查了年龄组成员身份是否也会影响对情绪面部表情观察的隐性生理反应，如面部模仿和自主调节。为此，在青少年和成年参与者观察青少年和成年模特做出的面部表情时，记录了他们的面部肌电图（EMG）和呼吸性窦性心律不齐（RSA）。结果表明，青少年对同龄人的面部表情表现出更大的面部EMG反应，而成年人对成年面部表情表现出更高的RSA反应。年轻人和成年人对同龄人的情绪表达做出反应的不同生理方式可能反映了与同龄人进行社交互动的两种不同方式。研究结果证实，年龄是一个重要且有力的社会特征，它通过影响低水平的生理反应来调节人际互动。
