Influence of anger on the evaluation of emotional congruence between scenes and facial expressions
Abstract
Individuals with high levels of anger exhibit difficulties in executive attention and in inhibiting dominant responses and/or activating subdominant ones, which may influence their appraisal of emotional congruence. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between anger levels associated with aggression and the evaluation of emotional congruence between scenes and facial expressions. The International Affective Picture System (IAPS) was used to select emotional scenes (Positive, Violent, Repulsive, Neutral), and the NimStim Face Stimulus Set was used to select emotional facial expressions (happiness, anger, fear, disgust, neutral). Additionally, the Buss and Perry (1992) Aggression Questionnaire was used to assess anger levels (lower, middle, upper). Participants with higher anger levels (compared to those with lower levels) showed longer response times when rating emotional congruence between scenes and facial expressions. The effect size was large, with stronger effects for negative congruence (r > .50) than for positive congruence (r = .33). These findings may be explained by difficulties in attentional control among participants with higher anger levels, particularly when processing negative information.
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