Explicit identification and implicit recognition of facial emotions: II. Core domains and relationships with general cognition

Abstract

Both general and social cognition are important in providing endophenotypic markers and predicting real-world functional outcomes of clinical psychiatric disorders. However, to date, focus has been on general cognition, rather than on core domains of social/emotional cognition. This study sought to determine core domains of emotion processing for both explicit identification and implicit recognition and their relationships with core domains of general cognition. Age effects and sex differences were also investigated. A sample of 1,000 healthy individuals (6 to 91 years, 53.5% female) undertook the WebNeuro tests of emotion identification and recognition and tests of general cognitive function. Factor analysis revealed seven core domains of emotion processing: speed of explicit emotion identification, speed of implicit emotion recognition, implicit emotion recognition accuracy, “threat” processing, sadness–disgust identification, “positive emotion” processing, and general “face perception.” Seven corresponding core domains of general cognition were identified: information-processing speed, executive function, sustained attention/vigilance, verbal memory, working-memory capacity, inhibition/impulsivity, and sensorimotor function. Factors of emotion processing generally showed positive associations with those of general cognitive function, suggesting commonality in processing speed in particular. Moreover, age had a consistent nonlinear impact on both emotion processing and general cognitive factors, while sex differences were more specific. These findings contribute to a normative and standardized structure for assessment of emotional and general cognition in clinical groups.

Keywords:

• Emotion recognition and identification
• Social cognition
• General cognition
• Factor analysis
• Age
• Sex differences
• Computerized testing

This project is supported by an Australian Research Council (ARC) grant (DP0452237). L.M.W. is supported by a Pfizer Senior Research fellowship. We acknowledge the support of the Brain Resource International Database (under the auspices of the Brain Resource, BR; www.brainresource.com) for use of data. We also thank the individuals who gave their time to participate in the database. Access to the database for scientific purposes is overseen by a scientific network (BRAINnet; www.brainnet.org.au), which is coordinated independently of the commercial operations of BR. The facial stimuli and tasks were developed with support from National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Grant MH-60722 (R.C.G.).

Declaration of interest. L.M.W. is a small equity holder in the Brain Resource and has received fees from BRC for tasks unrelated to this study. E.G. is the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Brain Resource and holds significant equity and stock options in the company. However, scientific decisions about access to the Brain Resource International Database for scientific purposes are made by an independently administered scientific network of scientists; BRAINnet (www.brainnet.net). R.C.G. is on the Advisory Board of the BR, and R.E.G. is a consultant to this board.