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The differential effects of facial expressions on behavior: Conscious and automatic processing.

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Title: The differential effects of facial expressions on behavior: Conscious and automatic processing.
Authors: Wang, Hong (AUTHOR), Yue, Tong (AUTHOR), Luo, Huajun (AUTHOR), Li, Zuoshan (AUTHOR), Hu, Daifang (AUTHOR)
Source: Social Behavior & Personality: an international journal. Jan2026, Vol. 54 Issue 1, p1-10. 10p.
Subjects: Facial expression, Human behavior, Motivation (Psychology), Smiling, Emotional conditioning, Cognitive psychology, Automaticity (Learning process)
Abstract: Emotional information helps human beings produce corresponding behavioral responses, namely, approach and avoidance. However, it remains unclear whether emotion can activate approach and avoidance responses at both conscious and automatic processing levels. We conducted two experiments to compare the impact of happy, sad, and fearful faces on behavior (assessed using a joystick task) and found that happiness was associated with approach and fear with avoidance, regardless of whether emotional expressions were evaluated consciously or processed automatically (assessed via a gender judgment task). However, sad faces elicited approach responses at the conscious processing level, but no significant tendency emerged when conscious evaluation was reduced. Thus, facial emotional expressions can trigger approach–avoidance tendencies at both conscious and automatic processing levels. However, the specific patterns of these effects vary, suggesting that the underlying mechanisms may operate differently. Implications of the findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Social Behavior & Personality: an international journal is the property of Scientific Journal Publishers Limited and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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PubType: Academic Journal
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  Label: Title
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  Data: The differential effects of facial expressions on behavior: Conscious and automatic processing.
– Name: Author
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wang%2C+Hong%22">Wang, Hong</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yue%2C+Tong%22">Yue, Tong</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Luo%2C+Huajun%22">Luo, Huajun</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Li%2C+Zuoshan%22">Li, Zuoshan</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hu%2C+Daifang%22">Hu, Daifang</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Social+Behavior+%26+Personality%3A+an+international+journal%22">Social Behavior & Personality: an international journal</searchLink>. Jan2026, Vol. 54 Issue 1, p1-10. 10p.
– Name: Subject
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Facial+expression%22">Facial expression</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Human+behavior%22">Human behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Motivation+%28Psychology%29%22">Motivation (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Smiling%22">Smiling</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emotional+conditioning%22">Emotional conditioning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+psychology%22">Cognitive psychology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Automaticity+%28Learning+process%29%22">Automaticity (Learning process)</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Emotional information helps human beings produce corresponding behavioral responses, namely, approach and avoidance. However, it remains unclear whether emotion can activate approach and avoidance responses at both conscious and automatic processing levels. We conducted two experiments to compare the impact of happy, sad, and fearful faces on behavior (assessed using a joystick task) and found that happiness was associated with approach and fear with avoidance, regardless of whether emotional expressions were evaluated consciously or processed automatically (assessed via a gender judgment task). However, sad faces elicited approach responses at the conscious processing level, but no significant tendency emerged when conscious evaluation was reduced. Thus, facial emotional expressions can trigger approach–avoidance tendencies at both conscious and automatic processing levels. However, the specific patterns of these effects vary, suggesting that the underlying mechanisms may operate differently. Implications of the findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Social Behavior & Personality: an international journal is the property of Scientific Journal Publishers Limited and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=190930288
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        Value: 10.2224/sbp.15208
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Facial expression
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Human behavior
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      – SubjectFull: Motivation (Psychology)
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      – SubjectFull: Smiling
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      – SubjectFull: Emotional conditioning
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      – SubjectFull: Cognitive psychology
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      – SubjectFull: Automaticity (Learning process)
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            NameFull: Wang, Hong
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              Text: Jan2026
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              Y: 2026
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