1. Aging and the use of emotional cues to guide social judgments Louise Phillips, Gillian Slessor & Rebecca Bull University of Aberdeen

2. Aging and emotion perception Ruffman et al. (2008) meta-analysis Ruffman et al. (2008) meta-analysis –Older adults less accurate in identifying facial expressions of sadness, anger and fear. –No age differences happiness, surprise, disgust What are the social consequences of age differences in emotion recognition? What are the social consequences of age differences in emotion recognition? –Quality of life and social participation –Judgments of social approach

3. Emotion and gaze cues Adams & Kleck (2005) Adams & Kleck (2005) –Angry faces with direct gaze are rated as more angry Phillips, MacLean & Allen (2002) Phillips, MacLean & Allen (2002) –Older adults less able to recognise angry expressions. Slessor, Phillips & Bull (2008) Slessor, Phillips & Bull (2008) –Old less able to discriminate subtle differences in eye gaze.

4. Are there age differences in integrating gaze and emotion cues? If so, less distinction between direct and averted gaze If so, less distinction between direct and averted gaze Emotion task: Emotion task: –Asked which face more angry. Social task: Social task: –Asked when would be most likely to ask the person for a favour.

5. % of time chose direct gaze as more angry % of time chose averted gaze to ask favour

6. Implications Young and old differ in the effects of emotion on social judgments Young and old differ in the effects of emotion on social judgments Older adults’ judgments of emotion unaffected by gaze direction, unlike young Older adults’ judgments of emotion unaffected by gaze direction, unlike young Older adults’ decisions about approach behaviour influenced by eye contact rather than emotion-eye gaze integration Older adults’ decisions about approach behaviour influenced by eye contact rather than emotion-eye gaze integration Potential influences on social behaviour Potential influences on social behaviour