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Infants aren't biased toward fearful faces

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 May 2023

Andrew M. Herbert Open the ORCID record for Andrew M. Herbert [Opens in a new window] ,
Kirsten Condry Open the ORCID record for Kirsten Condry [Opens in a new window]  and
Tina M. Sutton Open the ORCID record for Tina M. Sutton [Opens in a new window]
Andrew M. Herbert
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 14623, USA amhgss@rit.edu, kxcgsh@rit.edu, tmsgsh@rit.edu https://people.rit.edu/amhgss/, https://www.rit.edu/liberalarts/directory/kxcgsh-kirsten-condry, https://www.rit.edu/liberalarts/directory/tmsgsh-tina-sutton
Kirsten Condry
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 14623, USA amhgss@rit.edu, kxcgsh@rit.edu, tmsgsh@rit.edu https://people.rit.edu/amhgss/, https://www.rit.edu/liberalarts/directory/kxcgsh-kirsten-condry, https://www.rit.edu/liberalarts/directory/tmsgsh-tina-sutton
Tina M. Sutton
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 14623, USA amhgss@rit.edu, kxcgsh@rit.edu, tmsgsh@rit.edu https://people.rit.edu/amhgss/, https://www.rit.edu/liberalarts/directory/kxcgsh-kirsten-condry, https://www.rit.edu/liberalarts/directory/tmsgsh-tina-sutton
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Abstract

Grossmann's argument for the “fearful ape hypothesis” rests on an incomplete review of infant responses to emotional faces. An alternate interpretation of the literature argues the opposite, that an early preference for happy faces predicts cooperative learning. Questions remain as to whether infants can interpret affect from faces, limiting the conclusion that any “fear bias” means the infant is fearful.

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Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 46 , 2023 , e65
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press

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