A female advantage in the recognition of emotional facial expressions: test of an evolutionary hypothesis

摘要: Abstract A set of computerized tasks was used to investigate sex differences in the speed and accuracy emotion recognition 62 men women reproductive age. Evolutionary theories have posited that female superiority perception might arise from women's near-universal responsibility for child-rearing. Two variants child-rearing hypothesis predict either across-the-board discrimination emotional expressions ("attachment promotion" hypothesis) or a is restricted negative ("fitness threat" hypothesis). Therefore, we sought evaluate whether expression difference influenced by valence signal (Positive Negative). The results showed were faster than at recognizing both positive emotions facial cues, supporting attachment promotion hypothesis. Support fitness threat also found, accentuated emotions. There no evidence learned through previous childcare experience it derived simple perceptual speed. suggest evolved mechanisms, not domain-general learning, underlie