The shape of threat: Simple geometric forms evoke rapid and sustained capture of attention
The shape of threat: Simple geometric forms evoke rapid and sustained capture of attention
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DOI：
10.1037/1528-3542.7.3.526
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发表时间：
2007-08-01
期刊：
影响因子：
4.2
通讯作者：
Stearns, Jeffrey J.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Larson, Christine L.;Aronoff, Joel;Stearns, Jeffrey J.
先前的研究表明，面部表情背后的简单几何形状能够传达情感意义。具体来说一系列的研究发现，一个简单的形状，一个向下指向的“V”，这是类似的几何形状的脸在愤怒的表情，被认为是威胁。一项平行的研究已经确定，威胁性刺激更容易引起注意。在五个实验中，作者试图确定这种优先处理是否也存在于简单的几何形状的向下指向的“V”。“使用视觉搜索范式，在这些实验中，作者发现，当嵌入其他形状的领域时，向下指向的V's被更快地检测到，在某些情况下，比相同的形状指向向上更准确。这些发现表明，威胁的含义可以迅速传达与最小的刺激细节。此外，在某些情况下，在均匀刺激场的试验中，向下指向的V型场导致反应时间较慢，这表明这种形状捕获注意力的能力也可能延伸到难以分离注意力。
Previous work has indicated that simple geometric shapes underlying facial expressions are capable of conveying emotional meaning. Specifically. a series of studies found that a simple shape, a downward-pointing "V," which is similar to the geometric configuration of the face in angry expressions, is perceived as threatening. A parallel line of research has determined that threatening stimuli more readily capture attention. In five experiments, the authors sought to determine whether this preferential processing was also present for the simple geometric form of a downward-pointing "V." Using a visual search paradigm, across these experiments the authors found that, when embedded in a field of other shapes, down ward-pointing V's were detected faster and, in some cases, more accurately than identical shapes pointing upward. These findings indicate that the meaning of threat can be conveyed rapidly with minimal stimulus detail. In addition, in some cases, during trials of homogeneous fields of stimuli, fields of downward-pointing V's led to slower response times, suggesting that this shape's ability to capture attention may also extend to difficulty in disengaging attention as well.