Rapid detection of fear in body expressions, an ERP study.

Recent findings indicate that the perceptual processing of fearful expressions in the face can already be initiated around 100-120 ms after stimulus presentation, demonstrating that emotional information of a face can be encoded before the identity of the face is fully recognized. At present it is not clear whether fear signals from body expressions may be encoded equally as rapid. To answer this question we investigated the early temporal dynamics of perceiving fearful body expression by measuring EEG.

Rapid perceptual integration of facial expression and emotional body language.

In our natural world, a face is usually encountered not as an isolated object but as an integrated part of a whole body. The face and the body both normally contribute in conveying the emotional state of the individual. Here we show that observers judging a facial expression are strongly influenced by emotional body language.