A ocorrência de um estímulo auditivo imediatamente antes de um estímulo alvo visual reduz o tempo de reação em dezenas de milisegundos, um efeito atribuído a atenção temporal automática. O presente estudo investigou se este efeito é resultante de uma facilitação de mecanismos sensoriais. Dois experimentos foram realizados. No primeiro, foi realizada uma tarefa de tempo de reação simples por meio da resposta a estímulos alvos visuais com variações em sua detectabilidade. Esperava-se que o tamanho do efeito facilitador pudesse aumentar com o aumento da dificuldade de detecção do alvo. No segundo experimento foi realizada uma tarefa de acurácia. Os dados foram analisados pela teoria de detecção de sinais. Esperava-se que o estímulo precedente possibilitasse o aumento da detectabilidade do alvo e redução do critério de resposta. No primeiro experimento, não houve influência do estímulo precedente no aumento da detectabilidade do alvo. Os resultados do segundo experimento indicaram haver influência do estímulo precedente no aumento da detectabilidade do alvo e redução do critério pra a resposta. Esses resultados reforçam a teoria de que a atenção temporal automática facilita o processamento sensorial. / The occurrence of an auditory stimulus immediately before a visual target stimulus shortens reaction time by tens of milliseconds, an effect attributed to automatic temporal expectation. The present study investigated whether this effect results from a facilitation of sensory mechanisms. Two experiments were performed. In the first one the volunteers performed a simple reaction time task. They responded to visual targets which differ in detectability. It was expected that the size of the facilitatory effect would increase with the difficulty of target detection. In the second experiment the volunteers performed an accuracy task. Its data were analyzed on basis of signal detection theory. It was expected that the warning stimulus would increase the detectability of the target and lower the criterion to respond. The results of the first experiment did not indicate any influence of target detectability. The results of the second experiment indicate that both the detectability of the target and the criterion to respond were affected by the warning stimulus. These results provide support to the idea that automatic temporal expectancy facilitates sensory processing.

Faces provide cues for judgments regarding the emotional state of individuals. Using signal-detection methodology and a standardized stimulus set, the overall aim of the present dissertation was to investigate the detection of emotional facial expressions (i.e., angry and happy faces) with neutral expressions as the nontarget stimuli. Study I showed a happy-superiority effect and a bias towards reporting happiness in female faces. As work progressed, questions arose regarding whether the emotional stimuli were equal with regard to perceived strength of emotion, and whether the neutral faces were perceived as neutral. To further investigate the effect of stimulus quality on the obtained findings, Study II was designed such that the facial stimuli were rated on scales of happy-sad, angry-friendly, and emotionality. Results showed that ‘neutral’ facial expressions were not rated as neutral, and that there was a greater perceived distance between happy and neutral faces than between angry and neutral faces. These results were used to adjust the detectability measures to compensate for the varying distances of the angry and happy stimuli from the neutral stimuli in the emotional space. The happy-superiority effect was weakened, while an angry-female disadvantage remained. However, as these results were based upon different participant groups for detection and emotional rating, Study III was designed to investigate whether the results from Studies I and II could be replicated in a design where the same participants performed both tasks. Again, the results showed the non-neutrality of ‘neutral’ expressions and that happiness was more easily detected than anger, as shown in general emotion as well as specific emotion detection. Taken together, the overall results of the present dissertation demonstrate a happy-superiority effect that was greater for female than male faces, that angry-female faces were the most difficult to detect, and a bias to report female faces as happy. / At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 1: In press. Paper 2: Manuscript. Paper 3: Manuscript.

A ocorrência de um estímulo auditivo imediatamente antes de um estímulo alvo visual reduz o tempo de reação em dezenas de milisegundos, um efeito atribuído a atenção temporal automática. O presente estudo investigou se este efeito é resultante de uma facilitação de mecanismos sensoriais. Dois experimentos foram realizados. No primeiro, foi realizada uma tarefa de tempo de reação simples por meio da resposta a estímulos alvos visuais com variações em sua detectabilidade. Esperava-se que o tamanho do efeito facilitador pudesse aumentar com o aumento da dificuldade de detecção do alvo. No segundo experimento foi realizada uma tarefa de acurácia. Os dados foram analisados pela teoria de detecção de sinais. Esperava-se que o estímulo precedente possibilitasse o aumento da detectabilidade do alvo e redução do critério de resposta. No primeiro experimento, não houve influência do estímulo precedente no aumento da detectabilidade do alvo. Os resultados do segundo experimento indicaram haver influência do estímulo precedente no aumento da detectabilidade do alvo e redução do critério pra a resposta. Esses resultados reforçam a teoria de que a atenção temporal automática facilita o processamento sensorial. / The occurrence of an auditory stimulus immediately before a visual target stimulus shortens reaction time by tens of milliseconds, an effect attributed to automatic temporal expectation. The present study investigated whether this effect results from a facilitation of sensory mechanisms. Two experiments were performed. In the first one the volunteers performed a simple reaction time task. They responded to visual targets which differ in detectability. It was expected that the size of the facilitatory effect would increase with the difficulty of target detection. In the second experiment the volunteers performed an accuracy task. Its data were analyzed on basis of signal detection theory. It was expected that the warning stimulus would increase the detectability of the target and lower the criterion to respond. The results of the first experiment did not indicate any influence of target detectability. The results of the second experiment indicate that both the detectability of the target and the criterion to respond were affected by the warning stimulus. These results provide support to the idea that automatic temporal expectancy facilitates sensory processing.