In this study, we explored how contextual information about threat dynamics affected the electrophysiological correlates of face perception. Forty-six healthy native Swedish speakers read verbal descriptions signaling an immediate vs delayed intent to escalate or deescalate an interpersonal conflict. Each verbal description was followed by a face with an angry or neutral expression, for which participants rated valence and arousal. Affective ratings confirmed that the emotional intent expressed in the descriptions modulated emotional reactivity to the facial stimuli in the expected direction. The electrophysiological data showed that compared to neutral faces, angry faces resulted in enhanced early and late event-related potentials (VPP, P300 and LPP). Additionally, emotional intent and temporal immediacy modulated the VPP and P300 similarly across angry and neutral faces, suggesting that they influence early face perception independently of facial affect. By contrast, the LPP amplitude to faces revealed an interaction between facial expression and emotional intent. Deescalating descriptions eliminated the LPP differences between angry and neutral faces. Together, our results suggest that information about a person’s intentions modulates the processing of facial expressions.

中文翻译：

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在上下文中：上下文描述的情感意图和时间即时性将情感性ERP组件调制为面部表情。

在这项研究中，我们探讨了有关威胁动态的上下文信息如何影响面部感知的电生理相关性。四十六名健康的瑞典语母语者阅读了口头描述，表示立即与延迟升级或降级人际冲突的意图。每个口头描述后都带有愤怒或中性表情的表情，与会人员对这些表情的效价和唤醒进行了评分。情感评价证实，描述中表达的情感意图在预期方向上调节了对面部刺激的情感反应。电生理数据表明，与中性面孔相比，愤怒的面孔导致事件相关电位的早期和晚期（VPP，P300和LPP）增强。此外，情绪意图和时间上的即时性在愤怒和中性的脸部上也对VPP和P300进行了类似的调节，表明它们独立于脸部影响而影响了早期脸部感知。相比之下，脸部的LPP振幅揭示了面部表情和情感意图之间的相互作用。逐步降低的描述消除了生气和中性面孔之间的LPP差异。总之，我们的结果表明，有关人的意图的信息会调节面部表情的处理。