The social evaluation of faces: a meta-analysis of functional neuroimaging studies

Abstract

Neuroscience research on the social evaluation of faces has accumulated over the last decade, yielding divergent results. We used a meta-analytic technique, multi-level kernel density analysis (MKDA), to analyze 29 neuroimaging studies on face evaluation. Across negative face evaluations, we observed the most consistent activations in bilateral amygdala. Across positive face evaluations, we observed the most consistent activations in medial prefrontal cortex, pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pgACC), medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC), left caudate and nucleus accumbens (NAcc). Based on additional analyses comparing linear and non-linear responses, we propose a ventral/dorsal dissociation within the amygdala, wherein separate populations of neurons code for face valence and intensity, respectively. Finally, we argue that some of the differences between studies are attributable to differences in the typicality of face stimuli. Specifically, extremely attractive faces are more likely to elicit responses in NAcc/caudate and mOFC.

Women's hormone levels modulate the motivational salience of facial attractiveness and sexual dimorphism

“…Consistent with the results of previous behavioral (e.g., Hahn et al, 2013) and neuroimaging (see Bzdok et al, 2011 andMende-Siedlecki et al, 2013 for meta-analytic reviews) studies, physically attractive male and female faces generally had greater motivational salience than relatively unattractive faces.…”

“…For example, the extent to which people will key press to increase the length of time for which they can view faces is correlated with the physical attractiveness of the faces (Aharon et al, 2001;Levy et al, 2008;Hahn et al, 2013). Additionally, compared to viewing physically unattractive faces, viewing physically attractive faces elicits greater activation in brain regions implicated in motivation and the processing of rewards, such as the nucleus accumbens and medial orbitofrontal cortex (see Bzdok et al, 2011 andMende-Siedlecki et al, 2013 for meta-analytic reviews). Moreover, behavioral measures of motivational salience predict neural measures of faces' reward value better than do perceptions of attractiveness measured by ratings (Aharon et al, 2001).…”

Valence Asymmetries in the Human Amygdala: Task Relevance Modulates Amygdala Responses to Positive More than Negative Affective Cues

“…However, as we do not have sufficient spatiotemporal resolution to incisively interrogate amygdala subregions, this conclusion remains highly tentative. Additionally, although these data appear to support the view of a single subnucleus performing multiple functions, previous research has found dissociation within the amygdala between curvilinear (e.g., extremity) and linear (e.g., valence) effects (e.g., Mende-Siedlecki, Said, & Todorov, 2013). Future research should investigate this potential inconsistency using better localization methods to properly identify which subregions of the amygdala are reacting to which stimuli.…”

Neural and behavioral responses to attractiveness in adult and infant faces

“…A number of studies have provided evidence for a positive correlation between facial attractiveness and activation in the FG (Chatterjee, Thomas, Smith, & Aguirre, 2009;Cloutier, Heatherton, Whalen, & Kelley, 2008;Kranz & Ishai, 2006;Pochon, Riis, Sanfey, Nystrom, & Cohen, 2008;Winston, O'Doherty, Kilner, Perrett, & Dolan, 2007;c.f., Iaria, Fox, Waite, Aharon, & Barton, 2008;Tsukiura & Cabeza, 2011). Indeed, recent meta-analyses confirmed that increased activation in the FG for attractive faces as compared to unattractive faces is highly consistent across studies (Bzdok et al, 2011;Mende-Siedlecki, Said, & Todorov, 2013). Activation of the FG also appears to be stronger for assessments of attractiveness than other assessments, such as tallness (Kedia, Mussweiler, Mullins, & Linden, 2013).…”