Dispositional and induced optimism lead to attentional preference for faces displaying positive emotions: An eye-tracker study. Issue 3 (3rd May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Peters, Madelon L.; Vieler, Julia S.E.; Lautenbacher, Stefan
• Is Part Of: Journal of positive psychology. Volume 11:Issue 3(2016)
• Page Start: 258
• Page End: 269
• Publication Date: 2016-05-03
• Subjects: optimism -- Best Possible Self manipulation -- attentional bias -- eye tracking -- emotional faces; Positive psychology -- Periodicals; Quality of life -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Happiness -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; 158
• DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2015.1048816
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1743-9760

Abstract

Abstract : The aim of this study was to examine whether dispositional optimism and induced optimism are associated with an attentional bias for positive stimuli. Fifty-six healthy participants performed an eye-tracking task twice, while their gazing time at faces displaying joy, anger, pain, or a neutral expression was measured. Participants scoring high on dispositional optimism tended to gaze longer at joy faces during the first face-presentation trial compared to participants scoring lower on optimism, and this correlation became significant during the second face-presentation trial. In between the two presentations, participants received either an optimism manipulation or a control manipulation. There was no effect of type of manipulation on gazing behavior but post hoc analyses demonstrated that participants showing an increase in state optimism displayed a significant decrease in gaze duration for anger faces and a nearly significant increase in gaze duration for joy faces.