Evaluating Posed and Evoked Facial Expressions of

Authors: Daniel J Faso Noah J Sasson Amy E Pinkham

Publish Date: 2014/07/19

Volume: 45, Issue: 1, Pages: 75-89

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Abstract

Though many studies have examined facial affect perception by individuals with autism spectrum disorder ASD little research has investigated how facial expressivity in ASD is perceived by others Here naïve female observers n = 38 judged the intensity naturalness and emotional category of expressions produced by adults with ASD n = 6 and typically developing TD adults n = 6 in both a posed condition and an evoked condition in which emotions were naturalistically elicited and validated ASD expressions were rated as more intense and less natural than TD expressions but contrary to prediction were identified with greater accuracy an effect driven primarily by angry expressions Naturalness ratings of evoked expressions were positively associated with identification accuracy for TD but not ASD individuals Collectively these findings highlight differences but not a reduction in facial expressivity in ASD that do not hinder emotion recognition accuracy but may affect social interaction qualityThe authors wish to thank the individuals who participated in the study and the Nonpareil Institute of Plano TX for helping with participant recruitment We also extend our gratitude to Claire Noonan HsinFen Yang Claire Simpson and Leila Mustafa for helping with data collection Dr Nyaz Didehbani and Dr Michelle Kandalaft for assisting with clinical assessments and Dr Alice O’Toole and Cameron Siler for providing photography studio equipment Finally we greatly appreciate the helpful comments and suggestions provided by Dr Candice Mills and Dr Alice O’Toole on a previous version of this manuscript“During high school I went on a band trip to New Orleans On one of our days off some friends and I went to Six Flags I told my friends that I’d never been on a roller coaster before and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to but eventually they nagged me until I gave in and got onto a coaster with them I could feel my hands begin to sweat a little as I sat there waiting for the attendant to lock down the lap restraints and when I looked at my lap I couldn’t help but skeptically think “this is supposed to keep me safe” My friends weren’t helping either giving me a hard time and telling me stories about people who fell from this very coaster when their bar released as they were upside down While I didn’t believe them completely the thought of falling or something terrible happening kept running through my mind I was startled by the initial jolt as the coaster began to move and I could almost hear my heart begin pounding faster We climbed higher and higher up the track the world around us growing smaller it felt as if it would never end The clicking of the track was a constant reminder of how high I actually was and as the top of the hill neared the fear of the fall was overwhelming Suddenly I began to plummet toward the earth and my stomach sank my knuckles turning white as I gripped the bar on my lap The blur of track and sky rushed before my watering eyes every sense in my body was on fire as the ground grew closer But after the initial drop all was well and the rest of the ride wasn’t nearly as nerve racking”“One year my husband John and I were attending his company Christmas party just enjoying the night with our friends John took the stage to make a speech and as I was sitting there listening I received a phone call from my brother Luke I stood up and began making my way to the back of the hall as I excitedly answered the call Luke’s wife Mary was pregnant and we had been expecting the baby any day so I could only hope what the call was about Mary and I were like sisters and when she first told me she was pregnant it was one of the happiest times we shared But when I heard Luke’s voice my excitement was immediately extinguished He said Lisa was in labor and the baby was coming but they were having complications He tried to reassure me that everything was going to be alright but deep down I knew something was wrong I tried to tuck myself away pacing the back of the hall as my husband was speaking on stage Less than an hour later Luke called again choking through sobs the words that still echo in my mind “Mary didn’t make it” I froze dropped the phone and fell to the floor unable to control my body I was heaving on the ground crying uncontrollably as a party guest ran to the stage to get my husband He held my head and when I told him what happened his blue eyes began pouring tears as well I don’t know how long we sat there or how we got to the hospital I just remember the thought of Mary being gone was too much For a long time I was in shock and devastated from the loss but we all felt blessed that her baby boy was alive and healthy”

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