Judgment of Emotional Facial Expressions as a Function of Manifest Anxiety and Sex

Abstract

The prediction of greater projection of threat on the part of highly-anxious Ss as compared with Ss of low anxiety ( Ns = 20) was not verified. However, an interesting sex difference emerged. Female facial expressions of emotions were perceived as relatively more dangerous, aggressive, and threatening by females than by males, and this tendency was amplified when the expressions were unpleasant.