Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • News & Views
  • Published:

Cognitive science

Staring fear in the face

The unusual case of SM, a person who has a very specific deficit in recognizing fearful expressions on people's faces, is providing intriguing insights into how we perceive emotion.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: How the eyes contribute to facial expressions of fear.

References

  1. Darwin, C. The Expression of Emotion in Man and Animals (Oxford Univ. Press, 1872).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  2. Ohman, A. Psychophysiology 23, 123–145 (1986).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Adolphs, R. et al. Nature 433, 68–72 (2005).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. LeDoux, J. E. Annu. Rev. Neurosci. 23, 155–184 (2000).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Adolphs, R., Tranel, D., Damasio, H. & Damasio, A. Nature 372, 669–672 (1994).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Yarbus, A. L. Eye Movement and Vision (Plenum, New York, 1967).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  7. Gosselin, F. & Schyns, P. G. Vision Res. 41, 2261–2271 (2001).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Calder, A., Lawrence, A. & Young, A. Nature Rev. Neurosci. 2, 352–363 (2001).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Vuilleumier, P., Richardson, M., Armony, J., Driver, J. & Dolan, R. J. Nature Neurosci. 7, 1271–1278 (2004).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Kawashima, R. et al. Brain 122, 779–783 (1999).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Sander, D., Grafman, J. & Zalla, T. Rev. Neurosci. 14, 303–316 (2003).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Whalen, P. J. et al. Science 306, 2061 (2004).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. McKelvie, S. J. Br. J. Social Psychol. 34, 325–334 (1995).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Calder, A. J., Young, A. W., Keane, J. & Dean, M. J. Exp. Psychol. Hum. Percept. Perform. 26, 527–551 (2000).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Prkachin, G. C. Br. J. Psychol. 94, 45–62 (2003).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Murray, R. F. & Gold, J. M. Vision Res. 44, 461–470 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Schyns, P. G. & Oliva, A. Cognition 69, 243–265 (1999).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Morris, J. S., deBonis, M. & Dolan, R. J. Neuroimage 17, 214–222 (2002).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Ekman, P. & Friesen, W. Pictures of Facial Affect (Consulting Psychologists Press, Palo Alto, 1976).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vuilleumier, P. Staring fear in the face. Nature 433, 22–23 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/433022a

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/433022a

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing