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Converging Evidence for the Advantage of Dynamic Facial Expressions

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Abstract

Neuroimaging evidence suggests that dynamic facial expressions elicit greater activity than static face stimuli in brain structures associated with social cognition, interpreted as greater ecological validity. However, a quantitative meta-analysis of brain activity associated with dynamic facial expressions is lacking. The current study investigated, using three fMRI experiments, activity elicited by (a) dynamic and static happy faces, (b) dynamic and static happy and angry faces, and (c) dynamic faces and dynamic flowers. In addition, using activation likelihood estimate (ALE) meta-analysis, we determined areas concordant across published studies that (a) used dynamic faces and (b) specifically compared dynamic and static emotional faces. The middle temporal gyri (Experiment 1) and superior temporal sulci (STS; Experiment 1 and 2) were more active for dynamic than static faces. In contrasts with the baseline the amygdalae were more active for dynamic faces (Experiment 1 and 2) and the fusiform gyri were active for all conditions (all Experiments). The ALE meta-analyses revealed concordant activation in all of these regions as well as in areas associated with cognitive manipulations (inferior frontal gyri). Converging data from the experiments and the meta-analyses suggest that dynamic facial stimuli elicit increased activity in regions associated with interpretation of social signals and emotional processing.

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Notes

  1. Development of the MacBrain Face Stimulus Set was overseen by Nim Tottenham and supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Early Experience and Brain Development. Please contact Nim Tottenham at tott0006@tc.umn.edu for more information concerning the stimulus set.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Sarah Bayless for creating the dynamic stimuli. This work was supported by a CIHR grant to MJT (MOP-81161).

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  1. Diagnostic Imaging and Neurosciences & Mental Health, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada

    Marie Arsalidou, Drew Morris & Margot J. Taylor

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  1. Marie Arsalidou
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  2. Drew Morris
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  3. Margot J. Taylor
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Correspondence to Marie Arsalidou.

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Arsalidou, M., Morris, D. & Taylor, M.J. Converging Evidence for the Advantage of Dynamic Facial Expressions. Brain Topogr 24, 149–163 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10548-011-0171-4

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