Evaluations of three different types of smiles in relation to social anxiety and psychopathic traits

Overview
Social anxiety is defined as the fear of social evaluation by others in interaction and performance situations. Occasionally experiencing social anxiety is normal and moreover, it is evolutionary adaptive. However, some people experience overmuch anxiety, while others experience too little. In fact, social anxiety disorder is the most common anxiety disorder, and detrimentally impacting an individuals’ well-being and functioning. Fearlessness in social situations, on the other hand, has been related to risk-taking and antisocial behaviour – a condition that is also known as psychopathy. Obviously, neither extreme, nor lacking anxiety is adaptive. In the current study, more light will be shed on the (dis)similarities of the two outermost ends of the social anxiety continuum.

Participant recruitment
Participants were recruited via the participant pool of Radboud University.

Power analysis
After computing a power analysis (with r=.25, two-tailed, p=.05, 1-ß=.80), we aim to test at least 120 participants. If possible, we will test more participants during the lab time given to us.

Inclusion criteria
The inclusion criteria were being female and having good English skills.

Measurements
• Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS; Liebowitz, 1987).
• State Self-Esteem Scale (SSES; Heatherton & Polivy, 1991).
• Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits (ICU; Frick, 2003).
• Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (LSRPS; Levenson, Kiehl, & Fitzpatrick, 1995).
• Valence rating of facial emotional expressions
• Attractiveness rating of facial emotional expressions
• Approach Avoidance Task (AAT)
• Motivated Viewing Task (MVT)

Procedure
Participants could subscribe for the study via SONA system to schedule a lab visit. In the lab, participants first did the AAT, followed by the MVT and ratings of the pictures. Finally, participants filled in the 4 questionnaires (LSAS anxiety subscale, SSES, ICU and LSRPS). The data collection took place in English. The final sample consisted of 123 female participants.