Presence-Related Influences of a Small Talking Facial Image on Psychophysiological Measures of Emotion and Attention

We examined the effects of a small talking facial image on (a) emotional responses as indexed by self-report and facial electromyography (EMG) and (b) attention and engagement as indexed by so-called respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) when viewing/listening to financial news from a simulated pocket PC among 36 subjects. The results showed that a talking facial image was rated as more pleasant and arousing as compared to a static facial image, and elicited progressively increasing zygomatic EMG activity. In addition, a talking facial image was associated with a decrease in RSA, but only among individuals scoring high on dispositional behavioral activation system (BAS) sensitivity. It is suggested that a small talking facial image contributes to sustained attention and engagement particularly among high BAS scorers, given that it may increase the sense of presence.