McCulloch Kate, Dalmaijer Edwin S, Rieger Gerulf, O'Gorman Rick
Department of Psychology, University of Suffolk, UK.
School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, UK.
Biol Psychol. 2025 May;198:109044. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2025.109044. Epub 2025 May 2.
Previous research has found pupil dilation associated with stimuli pre-assigned as positive and negative in their emotional valence; however, it is not yet clear how self-rated experiences of specific emotions may correlate with differences in pupil size. Using a novel methodology across two studies, 200 participants were presented with emotionally engaging images and sounds and then rated the extent to which they felt happy, sad, angry, fearful, and disgusted in response to these. Data were analyzed using linear mixed effects models to examine whether the participant's own emotion ratings predict pupil size. In 2 studies using standardized images and sounds, and varied 30-s audio clips, in trials with higher self-reported disgust and sadness there was a consistent relationship with pupil dilation. Disgust was most often the strongest predictor of pupil dilation. This effect emerged ∼2 s after stimulus onset and remained present throughout stimulus presentation. Happiness had a weaker effect on pupil dilation and fear was associated with a late pupillary response. Anger was associated with pupil constriction, but only in Study 2. The present approach finds the most consistent relationship between pupil dilation and self-rated disgust and sadness, compared to other negative emotions. The findings thus suggest that measures of pupil size warrant further investigation as a potential indicative psychophysiological correlate of self-reported emotions, with implications for distinguishing negative emotions, such as disgust from anger.
先前的研究发现，瞳孔扩张与在情感效价上预先被判定为积极和消极的刺激有关；然而，特定情绪的自我评定体验如何与瞳孔大小的差异相关，目前尚不清楚。在两项研究中使用了一种新颖的方法，向200名参与者展示了具有情感吸引力的图像和声音，然后让他们对自己在面对这些刺激时感到快乐、悲伤、愤怒、恐惧和厌恶的程度进行评分。使用线性混合效应模型分析数据，以检验参与者自己的情绪评分是否能预测瞳孔大小。在两项使用标准化图像和声音以及不同的30秒音频片段的研究中，在自我报告的厌恶和悲伤程度较高的试验中，与瞳孔扩张存在一致的关系。厌恶通常是瞳孔扩张最强的预测因素。这种效应在刺激开始后约2秒出现，并在整个刺激呈现过程中持续存在。快乐对瞳孔扩张的影响较弱，恐惧与较晚的瞳孔反应有关。愤怒与瞳孔收缩有关，但仅在研究2中出现。与其他负面情绪相比，本研究方法发现瞳孔扩张与自我评定的厌恶和悲伤之间的关系最为一致。因此，研究结果表明，瞳孔大小的测量作为自我报告情绪的潜在指示性心理生理相关指标值得进一步研究，这对于区分负面情绪（如厌恶与愤怒）具有重要意义。
