Biased Facial Expression Interpretation in Shy Children

Abstract

The relationship between shyness and the interpretations of the facial expressions of others was examined in a sample of 123 children aged 12 to 14 years. Participants viewed faces displaying happiness, fear, anger, disgust, sadness, surprise, as well as a neutral expression, presented on a computer screen. The children identified each expression by pressing a button on an external keyboard. For each expression, children also rated (a) the degree to which they felt the child displaying the expression would like them, (b) the probability that someone at school would look at them with that expression, and (c) their own emotional reaction to interacting with a child displaying the expression. Participants also completed the Children's Shyness Questionnaire and the Children's Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire. We hypothesized that shyness in children would be related to negatively biased interpretations of facial expressions. Although the accuracy with which the children could identify the facial expressions was not related to their degree of shyness, negative biases were found in their interpretations of the meanings of the expressions. Furthermore, rejection sensitivity significantly mediated many of these biased interpretations. These findings may have implications for interventions for children experiencing shyness and social anxiety, especially socialskills training approaches.

Negative trait inference in behaviorally inhibited children influences their internalizing behaviors.

“…Although very little is known about the trait inference of children with BI, several studies have implied that inhibited children are vigilant and not optimistic in social information processes. For example, inhibited children displayed a negativity bias when interpreting others’ facial expressions (Kokin et al, 2016), showed less positivity when discussing an ambiguous social scenario (Nozadi et al, 2018), and were more likely to experience negative affect to peer rejection (Howarth et al, 2013). In addition, early higher BI predicted later attention biases toward threat and away from positive social cues (Pérez-Edgar et al, 2010; Szpunar & Young, 2012).…”

What are They Thinking? Examining Complex Links Among Social Withdrawal, Maladaptive Cognitions, and Internalizing Problems in Children and Emerging Adults

“…However, these studies have primarily assessed shyness or social withdrawal as unidimensional constructs. For example, it has been reported that shy children and adolescents are more prone to negative self-talk (Ishiyama, 1984), negative attributional styles (Chan & Wong, 2011;Wichmann et al, 2004), elevated expectations of the probability and costs of negative social events (Weeks et al, 2016), and biased interpretations of emotional facial expressions (Kokin, Younger, Gosselin, & Vaillancourt, 2016).…”