Feeling bad and looking worse: negative affect is associated with reduced perceptions of face-healthiness

PLoS One. 2014 Sep 26;9(9):e107912. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0107912. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Some people perceive themselves to look more, or less attractive than they are in reality. We investigated the role of emotions in enhancement and derogation effects; specifically, whether the propensity to experience positive and negative emotions affects how healthy we perceive our own face to look and how we judge ourselves against others. A psychophysical method was used to measure healthiness of self-image and social comparisons of healthiness. Participants who self-reported high positive (N = 20) or negative affectivity (N = 20) judged themselves against healthy (red-tinged) and unhealthy looking (green-tinged) versions of their own and stranger's faces. An adaptive staircase procedure was used to measure perceptual thresholds. Participants high in positive affectivity were un-biased in their face health judgement. Participants high in negative affectivity on the other hand, judged themselves as equivalent to less healthy looking versions of their own face and a stranger's face. Affective traits modulated self-image and social comparisons of healthiness. Face health judgement was also related to physical symptom perception and self-esteem; high physical symptom reports were associated a less healthy self-image and high self-reported (but not implicit) self-esteem was associated with more favourable social comparisons of healthiness. Subject to further validation, our novel face health judgement task could have utility as a perceptual measure of well-being. We are currently investigating whether face health judgement is sensitive to laboratory manipulations of mood.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Affect
  • Emotions*
  • Facial Expression*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Perception
  • Self Concept
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

This research was funded by Unilever Research and Development: (www.unilever.co.uk). The first, second and sixth authors worked collaboratively with the third, fourth and fifth authors, who have an affiliation with Unilever, during the study design process. Data collection and analysis was carried out by the corresponding author at the University of Manchester. The decision to publish was taken with permission from Unilever R & D. The funders had a role in study design, but did not have a role in data collection, analysis, or preparation of the manuscript.