Paula M. Niedenthal - Neural Computation

Neural Computation

A 2008 study conducted by Niedenthal and others, challenges research pertaining to the anger superiority effect. The anger superiority effect states that it is easier to detect angry faces than happy faces in a crowd neutral ones. This idea was said to have evolved over phylogenic development because it is beneficial to be able to quickly detect a threat in a given environment. Niedenthal et al. cite recent research that questions the hidden perceptual versus emotional factors that might account for this so-called anger superiority effect. In congruence with the findings of this research, Niedenthal et al. tested the anger superiority effect using a neural analyzes of human faces in two different simulations in order to separate emotional and perceptual processes. What they found was that perceptual bias is causing a faster, more accurate identification of anger faces.