Facial Expression Recognition Task
Objective: Assessment of ability to recognize fear and other emotions in facial expressions in subjects with amygdala damage compared to controls
Gather these items before starting the experiment. Check off items as you prepare.
Equipment1
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Protocol Steps
Baseline assessment of facial expression recognition
Subjects were tested on their ability to recognize fear in facial expressions as a baseline measure
Note: This was part of previous research that motivated the current study
View evidence from paper
“We have previously reported that bilateral amygdala damage in humans compromises the recognition of fear in facial expressions”
Assessment of unilateral amygdala damage effects
Examined whether unilateral amygdala damage might be sufficient to impair recognition of emotional expressions
Note: Compared to bilateral damage effects
View evidence from paper
“We addressed the possibility that unilateral amygdala damage might be sufficient to impair recognition of emotional expressions”
Further testing of bilateral amygdala damage subject
Obtained additional data on subject with bilateral amygdala damage to elucidate possible mechanisms accounting for impaired recognition of expressions of fear
Note: Focused on understanding mechanisms of impairment
View evidence from paper
“We also obtained further data on our subject with bilateral amygdala damage, in order to elucidate possible mechanisms”
Assessment of fear intensity sensitivity
Tested subjects' sensitivity to the intensity of fear expressed by faces
Note: Impairment appeared to result from insensitivity to intensity of fear
View evidence from paper
“This impairment appears to result from an insensitivity to the intensity of fear expressed by faces”
Assessment of face identity recognition
Tested recognition of identity of faces to establish double dissociation with fear expression recognition
Note: Confirmed that fear expression recognition and face identity recognition can be impaired independently
View evidence from paper
“We also confirmed a double dissociation between the recognition of facial expressions of fear, and the recognition of identity of a face”
Assessment of fearful expression recall
Preliminary testing of amygdala's role in both recognition and recall of fearful facial expressions
Note: Preliminary data only
View evidence from paper
“Preliminary data suggest the amygdala's role extends to both recognition and recall of fearful facial expressions”