Abstract

SANTOS, Esther Sampaio  and  QUAGLIA, Maria Amélia Cesari. The right-hemisphere and valence hypotheses in the processing of emotional faces. Psic., Saúde & Doenças [online]. 2017, vol.18, n.1, pp.150-156. ISSN 1645-0086.  https://doi.org/10.15309/17psd180113.

This study aimed to provide a review of literature about the two hypotheses presenting contradictions in understanding of the processing of expressions and facial emotions. A search was conducted in the indexes SCIENCE DIRECT, PubMed, MEDLINE and SCIELO with the following descriptors in Portuguese and their corresponding in English: “Perception of facial expressions”, “Perception of emotions”, “Cerebral asymmetry”, “Right-hemisphere hypothesis” and “Valence of the hypothesis”.13 articles were found between the years 1977 to 2010. All articles dealt of the empirical studies with quantitative method so were included in this review.Most studies confirmed the right-hemisphere hypothesis in the perception of emotional faces. Six confirmed this hypothesis and two corroborate the valence hypothesis. The valence hypothesis was partially sustained in one study occurring a relationship between negative emotions and the right-hemisphere, but this didn't occur between the left-hemisphere and the positive emotions. The number of studies that found no significant difference between the two cerebral hemispheres and the perception of facial emotions was higher than the research that fully corroborate the valence hypothesis. From the results of one study raised the possibility of the two hypotheses occur simultaneously so that a complete other but there is still a need for further research especially with standardized methods.

Keywords : Perception of emotional faces; Right-hemisphere hypothesis; Valence hypothesis; Cerebral asymmetry; Perception of emotions.

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