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Gender Differences in Emotional Response: Inconsistency between Experience and Expressivity

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  • Yaling Deng
  • Lei Chang
  • Meng Yang
  • Meng Huo
  • Renlai Zhou

Abstract

The present study investigated gender differences in both emotional experience and expressivity. Heart rate (HR) was recorded as an indicator of emotional experience while the participants watched 16 video clips that induced eight types of emotion (sadness, anger, horror, disgust, neutrality, amusement, surprise, and pleasure). We also asked the participants to report valence, arousal, and motivation as indicators of emotional expressivity. Overall, the results revealed gender differences in emotional experience and emotional expressivity. When watching videos that induced anger, amusement, and pleasure, men showed larger decreases in HR, whereas women reported higher levels of arousal. There was no gender difference in HR when the participants watched videos that induced horror and disgust, but women reported lower valence, higher arousal, and stronger avoidance motivation than did men. Finally, no gender difference was observed in sadness or surprise, although there was one exception—women reported higher arousal when watching videos that induced sadness. The findings suggest that, when watching videos that induce an emotional response, men often have more intense emotional experiences, whereas women have higher emotional expressivity, particularly for negative emotions. In addition, gender differences depend on the specific emotion type but not the valence.

Suggested Citation

  • Yaling Deng & Lei Chang & Meng Yang & Meng Huo & Renlai Zhou, 2016. "Gender Differences in Emotional Response: Inconsistency between Experience and Expressivity," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(6), pages 1-12, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0158666
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158666
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Robert J. Fisher & Laurette Dub, 2005. "Gender Differences in Responses to Emotional Advertising: A Social Desirability Perspective," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 31(4), pages 850-858, March.
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    2. Luz Fernández-Aguilar & Beatriz Navarro-Bravo & Jorge Ricarte & Laura Ros & Jose Miguel Latorre, 2019. "How effective are films in inducing positive and negative emotional states? A meta-analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(11), pages 1-28, November.
    3. Wen-Jui Han, 2023. "Work Schedule Patterns and Health over Thirty-Years of Working Lives: NLSY79 Cohort," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 42(2), pages 1-47, April.
    4. Laura Prieto-Pinto & María Fernanda Lara-Díaz & Nathaly Garzón-Orjuela & Dayanne Herrera & Carol Páez-Canro & Jorge Humberto Reyes & Lina González-Gordon & Viviana Jiménez-Murcia & Javier Eslava-Schma, 2019. "Effectiveness assessment of maternal and neonatal health video clips in knowledge transfer using neuromarketing tools: A randomized crossover trial," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(5), pages 1-19, May.
    5. Meng Zhang & Meike Jipp & Klas Ihme, 2022. "The Novelty Appraisal of the Feeling of Risk in Vehicles," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-13, November.
    6. Michelle Lennon-Maslin & Claudia Michaela Quaiser-Pohl & Vera Ruthsatz & Mirko Saunders, 2023. "Under My Skin: Reducing Bias in STEM through New Approaches to Assessment of Spatial Abilities Considering the Role of Emotional Regulation," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-24, June.
    7. Mei-Yin Kuan & Jiun-Hao Wang & Yu-Chang Liou & Li-Pei Peng, 2020. "Exploring the Association between Life Perceptions and Emotional Profiles in Taiwan: Empirical Evidence from the National Well-Being Indicators Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-17, June.

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