More than just another face in the crowd: Evidence for an angry superiority effect in children with and without autism

The angry superiority effect refers to more efficient way individuals detect angry relative to happy faces in a crowd. Given their socio-emotional deficits, children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) may be impervious to this effect. Thirty children with ASD and 30 matched-typically developing children were presented with a visual search task, in which they were to detect a happy or angry target face in a crowd. A significant angry superiority effect was found for children with and without ASD. Results are discussed in light of perceptual, cognitive and social mechanisms underlying this effect in children with ASD.

Research highlights▶ Superior visual search in children with ASD. ▶ Angry superiority effect in children with ASD like in typically developing children. ▶ Detection of emotional faces in a crowd: another islet of spared ability in children with ASD.