Effect of verbal interference and response hand on hemisphere asymmetries in sad facial expression processing.

A growing amount of evidence highlights a role for the left hemisphere in negative facial expression processing. The present study investigated the extent to which language contributes to this left hemisphere involvement by comparing performance during an emotion detection task presented to the left...

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Main Authors: E Darcy Burgund, Solana R Cushing, Moura Saad
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0322504
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author E Darcy Burgund
Solana R Cushing
Moura Saad
author_facet E Darcy Burgund
Solana R Cushing
Moura Saad
author_sort E Darcy Burgund
collection DOAJ
description A growing amount of evidence highlights a role for the left hemisphere in negative facial expression processing. The present study investigated the extent to which language contributes to this left hemisphere involvement by comparing performance during an emotion detection task presented to the left and right hemispheres using divided visual field under conditions of verbal interference (covertly rehearsing a 6-digit string for a subsequent memory) and no interference. Participants were college undergraduates with no known neurological or psychiatric conditions. Half used their right hand to respond and half used their left. In line with the hypothesis that language contributes to left hemisphere involvement in negative expression processing, participants who used their right hand to respond were more accurate with sad facial expressions when they were presented to the left hemisphere than the right during the no interference condition, but this left-hemisphere advantage disappeared during the verbal interference condition. Contrary to the hypothesis, participants who used their left hand to respond were more accurate with sad facial expressions when they were presented to the right hemisphere than when they were presented to the left, and this right-hemisphere advantage did not differ significantly between interference groups. Results highlight the influence of language as well as response hand on hemisphere asymmetries in facial expression processing and point towards areas for future research.
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spelling doaj-art-e5736354a5cb4c4dab48eeb5bb329c032025-08-20T02:29:59ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01205e032250410.1371/journal.pone.0322504Effect of verbal interference and response hand on hemisphere asymmetries in sad facial expression processing.E Darcy BurgundSolana R CushingMoura SaadA growing amount of evidence highlights a role for the left hemisphere in negative facial expression processing. The present study investigated the extent to which language contributes to this left hemisphere involvement by comparing performance during an emotion detection task presented to the left and right hemispheres using divided visual field under conditions of verbal interference (covertly rehearsing a 6-digit string for a subsequent memory) and no interference. Participants were college undergraduates with no known neurological or psychiatric conditions. Half used their right hand to respond and half used their left. In line with the hypothesis that language contributes to left hemisphere involvement in negative expression processing, participants who used their right hand to respond were more accurate with sad facial expressions when they were presented to the left hemisphere than the right during the no interference condition, but this left-hemisphere advantage disappeared during the verbal interference condition. Contrary to the hypothesis, participants who used their left hand to respond were more accurate with sad facial expressions when they were presented to the right hemisphere than when they were presented to the left, and this right-hemisphere advantage did not differ significantly between interference groups. Results highlight the influence of language as well as response hand on hemisphere asymmetries in facial expression processing and point towards areas for future research.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0322504
spellingShingle E Darcy Burgund
Solana R Cushing
Moura Saad
Effect of verbal interference and response hand on hemisphere asymmetries in sad facial expression processing.
PLoS ONE
title Effect of verbal interference and response hand on hemisphere asymmetries in sad facial expression processing.
title_full Effect of verbal interference and response hand on hemisphere asymmetries in sad facial expression processing.
title_fullStr Effect of verbal interference and response hand on hemisphere asymmetries in sad facial expression processing.
title_full_unstemmed Effect of verbal interference and response hand on hemisphere asymmetries in sad facial expression processing.
title_short Effect of verbal interference and response hand on hemisphere asymmetries in sad facial expression processing.
title_sort effect of verbal interference and response hand on hemisphere asymmetries in sad facial expression processing
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0322504
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AT solanarcushing effectofverbalinterferenceandresponsehandonhemisphereasymmetriesinsadfacialexpressionprocessing
AT mourasaad effectofverbalinterferenceandresponsehandonhemisphereasymmetriesinsadfacialexpressionprocessing