Digital Commons Network^™

Insincerity And Depravity Get Noticed, Alexandria M. Boswell

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Previous studies have shown that people use environmental cues to identify the intentions of others with whom they interact. This study sought to examine how an observer’s incidental memory for strangers was influenced by the emotional expression displayed by the stranger as well as the type of action in which the stranger was involved. Incidental memory was assessed using a memory task that first asked observers to view a series of faces (“targets”) that were each paired with an action. Later, observers were asked if they recognized previously viewed targets amongst novel targets. Incidental memory tasks are used to investigate …