Age Related Differences in Social and Affective Evaluation of Face Stimuli

Deciding whether other individuals are trustworthy or likeable belong to the most important decisions in social interactions. It is important for an individual to decide whether to approach or avoid another person. In recent years literature on trustworthiness evaluation of face stimuli is growing with studies focussing on deficits in social evaluation (e.g. Adolphs et al., 1998; Baas et al., 2008; Todorov & Duchaine 2008) and on neurophysiological correlates of trustworthiness judgement (e.g. Winston et al., 2002). Little is known about the influence of age on social and affective evaluation of other individuals based on their facial appearance. Judgements could remain stable or change systematically with ageing for example as a function of life experience or age-related biological changes. Grühn and Scheibe (2008) compared ratings on the dimensions of valence and arousal of 504 Pictures from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) between young and elderly subjects. Elderly subjects perceived for example negative pictures as more negative and more arousing than young subjects. In the present study we addressed the evaluation of face stimuli with regard to trustworthiness and affective reactions in young and old adults. Is this person trustworthy??