🚨 Preprint Alert🚨 doi.org/10.31234/osf...@gamerlab.bsky.social@jannateigeler.bsky.social !

Of course, all data, analysis scripts, and further materials are openly available🔓 #openscienceosf.io/4gz7f/

Diagnostic Facial Features & Fear Generalization

Hosted on the Open Science Framework

Here is the histogram of social anxiety scores. Almost half of the scores are above the optimal remission cutoff by von Glischinski et al. (2018).

We also observed generalization patterns in heart rate modulation💓 and pupil size changes🥺. Notably, only individuals with high anxiety showed an acceleration component↗️ after initial fear bradycardia↘️, indicating defensive reactions🛡️ on top of orienting responses🧭.

We replicated an attentional bias towards eyes compared to mouth and nose but individuals were able to adjust towards diagnostic facial features. Interestingly, people with high anxiety looked to non-diagnostic regions more quickly (hyperscanning?).

Participants acquired fear quickly and generalized it to morphs of faces (osf.io/wgqnj/wiki/h...) in a curved fashion✅. Highly anxious individuals showed overall higher subjective threat ratings✅ but no difference in generalization patterns compared to lowly anxious ones❌.