Predicting and Interpreting Patterns of Responding on the IRAP in the Context of Facial Emotions and Depression

Renato Bortoloti; Ana Paula Rubert Alves de Azevedo; Colin Harte; Dermot Barnes-Holmes

doi:10.1007/s40732-024-00607-y

Predicting and Interpreting Patterns of Responding on the IRAP in the Context of Facial Emotions and Depression

Renato Bortoloti
, Ana Paula Rubert Alves de Azevedo
, Colin Harte
, Dermot Barnes-Holmes

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

6 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

This study aimed to build on existing research on the implicit relational assessment procedure (IRAP), which has identified different
patterns of IRAP effects associated with responses to happy and angry facial expressions. In particular, the study aimed to (1) replicate
the previously observed happiness superiority effect, but with a far larger participant group than previous studies and (2) explore
whether the IRAP effect would be influenced by self-reported levels of depression. One hundred twenty-two participants completed
an IRAP that presented pairs of emotional human faces in a 2x2 crossover design yielding four trial-types: happy face–happy face,
happy face–angry face, angry face–happy face and angry face–angry face. The results showed a clear happiness superiority effect,
with the IRAP effect for trial-type 1 (happy face–happy face) larger than the IRAP effect for trial-type 4 (angry face–angry face).
Self-reported depression appeared to moderate responding on the trial-type 1 alone, with low depressed individuals producing a
larger D-IRAP score on the trial-type 1 relative to high depressed individuals. The findings support recent arguments that the stimulus
function properties of all elements within an IRAP should be taken into account when predicting and interpreting behavioral patterns
produced on the procedure. Considerations for use of the IRAP to predict behaviors in the natural environment are discussed.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	291-300
Number of pages	10
Journal	The Psychological Record
Volume	74
Issue number	3
Early online date	5 Sept 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s40732-024-00607-y
Publication status	Published online - 5 Sept 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© Association for Behavior Analysis International 2024.

Funding

This research was supported by the National Institute of Science and Technology on Behavior, Cognition, and Teaching (INCT-ECCE). The INCT-ECCE is financially supported by the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP, Grant # 2014/50909-8), the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES, Grant #88887.136407/2017-00), and the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq, Grant # 465686/2014-1). Preparation of this article was supported by a productivity research grant to the first author by the CNPq (Grant # 309041/2021-0) and by a fellowship awarded to the third author by FAPESP (Grant #2019/24210-0).

Funder number
309041/2021-0, 465686/2014-1, 2019/24210-0
2014/50909-8
88887.136407/2017-00

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

IRAP (Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure);
Happiness Superiority Effect
Emotional Facial Expressions
DAARRE Model

Access to Document

10.1007/s40732-024-00607-y

Un-blinded IRAP-Depression manuscript - finalAuthor Accepted Manuscript, 299 KB

https://link.springer.com/10.1007/s40732-024-00607-y

Cite this

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title = "Predicting and Interpreting Patterns of Responding on the IRAP in the Context of Facial Emotions and Depression",

abstract = "This study aimed to build on existing research on the implicit relational assessment procedure (IRAP), which has identified different patterns of IRAP effects associated with responses to happy and angry facial expressions. In particular, the study aimed to (1) replicate the previously observed happiness superiority effect, but with a far larger participant group than previous studies and (2) explore whether the IRAP effect would be influenced by self-reported levels of depression. One hundred twenty-two participants completed an IRAP that presented pairs of emotional human faces in a 2x2 crossover design yielding four trial-types: happy face–happy face, happy face–angry face, angry face–happy face and angry face–angry face. The results showed a clear happiness superiority effect, with the IRAP effect for trial-type 1 (happy face–happy face) larger than the IRAP effect for trial-type 4 (angry face–angry face). Self-reported depression appeared to moderate responding on the trial-type 1 alone, with low depressed individuals producing a larger D-IRAP score on the trial-type 1 relative to high depressed individuals. The findings support recent arguments that the stimulus function properties of all elements within an IRAP should be taken into account when predicting and interpreting behavioral patterns produced on the procedure. Considerations for use of the IRAP to predict behaviors in the natural environment are discussed.",

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author = "Renato Bortoloti and \{de Azevedo\}, \{Ana Paula Rubert Alves\} and Colin Harte and Dermot Barnes-Holmes",

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Predicting and Interpreting Patterns of Responding on the IRAP in the Context of Facial Emotions and Depression

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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