Journal Article

Gaze-Based Assessments of Vigilance and Avoidance in Social Anxiety: a Review

Chen, Nigel T. M., Clarke, Patrick J. F.

2017

Overview

Purpose of Review A broad base of research has sought to identify the biases in selective attention which characterize social anxiety, with the emergent use of eye tracking-based methods. This article seeks to provide a review of eye tracking studies examining selective attention biases in social anxiety. Recent Findings Across a number of contexts, social anxiety may be associated with a mix of both vigilant and avoidant patterns of attention with respect to the processing of emotional social stimuli. Socially anxious individuals may additionally avoid maintaining eye contact and may exhibit a generalized vigilance via hyperscanning of their environment. Summary The findings highlight the utility of eye tracking methods for increasing understanding of the gaze-based biases which characterize social anxiety disorder, with promising avenues for future research.

• Publisher: Springer US,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Anxiety Disorders (A Pelissolo / Attention / Avoidance Learning / Eye Movement Measurements / Eye movements / Facial Expression / Fixation, Ocular / Humans / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Models, Psychological / Phobia, Social - diagnosis / Phobia, Social - psychology / Psychiatry / Psychological Theory / Reaction Time / Section Editor / Social anxiety / Topical Collection on Anxiety Disorders / Visual Perception