Knowledge of Cognitive Psychology

Experience: Facial Attractivness and Emotionality Project

Supervisor: Dr. David Nichols

Semester: data collected in Spring 2014, manuscript submitted in Fall 2015

Assignment Description: This project involved the collection of EEG data in an effort to supplement behavioral data on attractiveness and emotionality and to examine the timing of the processing of these components during passive viewing of faces as well as the presence and timing of an interaction effect.

Summary of Relevant Results: When analyzing the event-related potential (ERP) data across the four conditions (high attractive smiling, high attractive neutral, low attractive smiling, low attractive neutral), we found a main effect of attractiveness during approximately the same time range as an interaction effect between attractivness and emotion. The main effect of emotion appeared later on in the timecourse.

Reflection: Through the analysis of this data, we were able to gain information about when processing of attractiveness and emotion occurs in the brain. in looking at prior research, I gained a greater understanding of processing times and when certain effects can be seen in ERP data. Not only was writing this manuscript a great experience for me in terms of developing my research skills, it also greatly improved my knowledge and understanding of cognitive psychology.