Reporting on Published Research

1 

Acute Anxiety Impairs Accuracy in Identifying Photographed Faces 

Authors and their affiliation:- 

Angela S. Attwood – University of Bristol Ian S. Penton –Voak – University of Bristol 

Mike A. Burton – University of Aberdeen 

Marcus R. Munafo –University of Aberdeen 

Psychological Science, volume 24, and page numbers 1591 – 1594 

Hypothesis: The purpose of the research is to test whether acute anxiety significantly affects ability of a person to establish correct facial recognition in eye witnessing roles (Attwood, Penton-Voak, Burton, & Munafò, 2013). The authors predict that modified ability to match photographed faces through factoring anxiety or arousal increases efficiency of security-related applications. 

Method: The researchers used a crossover experimental design where they recruited 28 participants from the ages of 18 to 25 while using an exclusion criteria using a health screening process. With informed consent, the sample inhaled CO2 enriched medical grade air for twenty minutes through oro-nasal facial masks. At the same time, they performed the Glasgow Face Matching Test (GFMT) to allow them to make judgements on face images. The experiment also used the participant’s heart rate, systolic pressure in the blood, and the state subscale State-Trait anxiety Inventory (STAI_S) to rate the peak of anxiety after inhalation (Attwood, Penton-Voak, Burton, & Munafò, 2013). 

Results: The research outcome showed that when a person is aroused to have high anxiety they develop face-matching impairment. 

Relevance of the findings: The results are relevant to people in surveillance jobs and assesses the justification of relying on the information they provide. Therefore, the reliability of a witnesses’ portrayal of the truth is a human factor that can have dire consequences on wrongfully identified suspects. The study recommends the use of short and long-term memory retention instead of face identification. 

2 

Title: Pleasure now, pain later: Positive fantasies about the future predict symptoms of depression 

Authors and their affiliation:- 

Gabriele Oettingen - Psychology Department, New York University and the Institute of Psychology, University of Hamburg; 

Doris Mayer - Institute of Psychology, University of Hamburg 

Sam Portnow - Department of Psychology, University of Virginia 

Psychological Science, volume 27(3), pages 345–353 

Hypothesis: The research aims at proving that people that develop positive fantasies about their futures longitudinally predict high chance of suffering depression in the future. Based on past research, the study predicts that positive intrapersonal thinking often leans the person’s future to suicidal ideation. 

Method: The longitudinal and concurrent study uses daily diaries of 87 participants that also fill semi-projective questionnaires. The projective questionnaires required the sample population to imagine themselves in 12 open ended scenarios where they could shape the fantasy progress. The scenarios represented the themes of health, achievement, and interpersonal relations the procedure used in the study, the participants, and any special equipment, scales, or questionnaires (Oettingen, Mayer, & Portnow, 2016). The researchers then used the Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) to rate progressive depression using the thoughts and images of the participants. 

Results: Participants filling the CES-D indicated minimal symptoms of depression during the recording of positive fantasies (Oettingen, Mayer, & Portnow, 2016). However, during subsequent times, they continued to report rising symptoms of depression as their imagination and fantasy was replaced with reality. 

Relevance of the findings: Knowing that positive fantasies increase the level of depression symptoms then it is easier to wire more people to deal with the reality rather than fantasize over positive outcomes. This means that people who fantasize reduce the efforts to achieve success to the extent that they fail to appreciate the small steps they take in improving their lives. 

References  

Attwood, A. S., Penton-Voak, I. S., Burton, A. M., & Munafò, M. R. (2013). Acute anxiety impairs accuracy in identifying photographed faces. Psychological Science , 24(8), 1591-1594. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797612474021 

Oettingen, G., Mayer, D., & Portnow, S. (2016). Pleasure now, pain later: Positive fantasies about the future predict symptoms of depression. Psychological Science , 27(3), 345-353. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797615620783