Reactivity of observers’ facial skin blood flow depending on others’ facial expressions and blushing
Facial skin blood flow (SkBF) has attracted attention as an autonomic indicator because it influences facial colour, which informs others of emotional states, and facial temperature related to social anxiety. Previous studies have examined the facial SkBF in people experiencing emotions; however, fa...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1259928/full |
| _version_ | 1827593412313874432 |
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| author | Naoki Ishikawa Naoki Ishikawa Masato Asahina Masato Asahina Satoshi Umeda Satoshi Umeda |
| author_facet | Naoki Ishikawa Naoki Ishikawa Masato Asahina Masato Asahina Satoshi Umeda Satoshi Umeda |
| author_sort | Naoki Ishikawa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Facial skin blood flow (SkBF) has attracted attention as an autonomic indicator because it influences facial colour, which informs others of emotional states, and facial temperature related to social anxiety. Previous studies have examined the facial SkBF in people experiencing emotions; however, facial SkBF changes in the observers of emotions are poorly understood. Our study clarified facial SkBF changes related to observing others’ emotions by comparing the changes with other physiological indices. Thirty healthy participants (24 females; mean age: 22.17) observed six types of facial expressions (neutral, angry, and embarrassed expressions with and without facial blushing) and rated the emotional intensity of the other person. We measured their facial SkBF, finger SkBF, and cardiac RR interval as they made their observations. Facial SkBF generally decreased in relation to observing emotional faces (angry and embarrassed faces) and significantly decreased for angry expressions with blushing. None of the participants noticed blushing of facial stimuli. For the RR interval and finger SkBF, there was no variation depending on the observed facial expressions, although there was a general increase related to observation. These results indicated that facial SkBF is sensitive and reactive to emotional faces—especially angry faces with blushing— compared with other autonomic indices. The facial SkBF changes were not related to either RR interval changes or the intensity rating, suggesting that facial SkBF changes may be caused by vasoconstriction and have potential functions for our emotions. The decrease in facial SkBF may have a role in calming observers by preventing them from adopting the same emotional state as a person with intense anger. These findings clarify daily facial SkBF fluctuations and their relationship with our emotional processing in interpersonal situations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T02:10:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ce2ad4d2841349b69172500ce4bf8c98 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T02:10:10Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-ce2ad4d2841349b69172500ce4bf8c982023-12-07T14:14:28ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782023-12-011410.3389/fpsyg.2023.12599281259928Reactivity of observers’ facial skin blood flow depending on others’ facial expressions and blushingNaoki Ishikawa0Naoki Ishikawa1Masato Asahina2Masato Asahina3Satoshi Umeda4Satoshi Umeda5Graduate School of Human Relations, Keio University, Tokyo, JapanResearch Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of Neurology, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, JapanResearch Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of Neurology, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, JapanDepartment of Neurology, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, JapanFacial skin blood flow (SkBF) has attracted attention as an autonomic indicator because it influences facial colour, which informs others of emotional states, and facial temperature related to social anxiety. Previous studies have examined the facial SkBF in people experiencing emotions; however, facial SkBF changes in the observers of emotions are poorly understood. Our study clarified facial SkBF changes related to observing others’ emotions by comparing the changes with other physiological indices. Thirty healthy participants (24 females; mean age: 22.17) observed six types of facial expressions (neutral, angry, and embarrassed expressions with and without facial blushing) and rated the emotional intensity of the other person. We measured their facial SkBF, finger SkBF, and cardiac RR interval as they made their observations. Facial SkBF generally decreased in relation to observing emotional faces (angry and embarrassed faces) and significantly decreased for angry expressions with blushing. None of the participants noticed blushing of facial stimuli. For the RR interval and finger SkBF, there was no variation depending on the observed facial expressions, although there was a general increase related to observation. These results indicated that facial SkBF is sensitive and reactive to emotional faces—especially angry faces with blushing— compared with other autonomic indices. The facial SkBF changes were not related to either RR interval changes or the intensity rating, suggesting that facial SkBF changes may be caused by vasoconstriction and have potential functions for our emotions. The decrease in facial SkBF may have a role in calming observers by preventing them from adopting the same emotional state as a person with intense anger. These findings clarify daily facial SkBF fluctuations and their relationship with our emotional processing in interpersonal situations.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1259928/fullfacial skin blood flowblushingemotionperceptionanger |
| spellingShingle | Naoki Ishikawa Naoki Ishikawa Masato Asahina Masato Asahina Satoshi Umeda Satoshi Umeda Reactivity of observers’ facial skin blood flow depending on others’ facial expressions and blushing Frontiers in Psychology facial skin blood flow blushing emotion perception anger |
| title | Reactivity of observers’ facial skin blood flow depending on others’ facial expressions and blushing |
| title_full | Reactivity of observers’ facial skin blood flow depending on others’ facial expressions and blushing |
| title_fullStr | Reactivity of observers’ facial skin blood flow depending on others’ facial expressions and blushing |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reactivity of observers’ facial skin blood flow depending on others’ facial expressions and blushing |
| title_short | Reactivity of observers’ facial skin blood flow depending on others’ facial expressions and blushing |
| title_sort | reactivity of observers facial skin blood flow depending on others facial expressions and blushing |
| topic | facial skin blood flow blushing emotion perception anger |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1259928/full |
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