Evaluation of facial trustworthiness in older adults: A positivity effect and its mechanism

Abstract

: The positivity effect in facial trustworthiness evaluation is that older adults are more positive in trustworthiness evaluation of unfamiliar faces than younger adults. Socioemotional selectivity theory and dynamic integration theory explain its mechanisms from the perspective of cognitive control and cognitive decline respectively, but a unified model has yet been established. Existing studies have found that under the condition of sufficient and insufficient cognitive resources, older adults would improve the trustworthiness evaluation of trustworthy and untrustworthy faces respectively. Neuroimaging studies have found that the decline of the amygdala and anterior insula may reduce the sensitivity of older adults to untrustworthy faces, while the hyperactivation of the caudate may enhance their sensitivity to trustworthy faces. In light of previous studies, a dual-process model of the positivity effect in facial trustworthiness evaluation was proposed. Future studies should attempt to construct a more comprehensive theoretical explanation framework, investigate the age difference of facial trustworthiness processing and clarify the neural mechanism by using a variety of analysis methods. Furthermore, mindfulness practices as well as transcranial magnetic stimulation can be introduced to help reduce older adults' vulnerability to fraud in the initial interpersonal interactions.