Beyond Static Models: The Dynamic Interplay of Facial Emotions and Attentional Scope

Abstract

The interplay between emotion and attention has long been intensely scrutinized, with competing theories proposing divergent mechanisms. Building on our previous work, here we present evidence that refines these perspectives, revealing a nuanced, temporally dynamic relationship between emotional stimuli and attentional focus. Using a modified Flanker task with facial emotion cues, we demonstrate that the effects of emotional stimuli on attention evolve over time, contrary to traditional fixed-effect assumptions. Our results show distinct temporal patterns: Neutral faces elicited typical flanker effects initially, but only interference persisted later. Early-stage happy faces amplified flanker facilitation but not interference, while threat faces augmented flanker interference but not facilitation. In the late stage, flanker facilitation disappeared across all emotion conditions, and interference patterns converged, mirroring the neutral face condition. These findings indicate emotion’s influence on attention is more complex and dynamic than previously recognized, potentially reflecting learning or habituation processes. We propose a new framework for understanding emotion-attention interactions that transcends traditional dichotomies of attention focus and approach-avoidance, offering a more nuanced perspective on this critical cognitive interface.