Deployment of attention to emotional pictures varies as a function of externally-oriented thinking: An eye tracking investigation

Background and objectives: Alexithymia is a multidimensional personality construct including the components difficulties identifying feelings (DIF), difficulties describing feelings (DDF), and externally oriented thinking (EOT). Different features of alexithymia are thought to reflect specific deficits in the cognitive processing and regulation of emotions. The aim of the present study was to examine for the first time patterns of deployment of attention as a function of alexithymia components in healthy persons by using eye-tracking technology. It was assumed that EOT is linked to avoidance of negative images. Methods: 99 healthy adults viewed freely pictures consisting of anxiety-related, depression-related, positive, and neutral images while gaze behavior was registered. Alexithymia was assessed by the 20 Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale. Measures of anxiety, depression, and (visual-perceptual) intelligence were also administered. Results: A main effect of emotion condition on dwell times was observed. Viewing time was lowest for neutral images, longer for depression-related and happy images, and longest for anxiety-related images. Gender and EOT had significant effects on dwell times. EOT correlated negatively with dwell time on depression-related (but not anxiety-related) images. There were no correlations of dwell times with depression, trait anxiety, intelligence, DIF, or DDF. Limitations: Alexithymia was assessed exclusively by self-report. Conclusions: Our results show that EOT but not DIF or DDF influences attention deployment to simultaneously presented emotional pictures. EOT may reduce attention allocation to dysphoric information. This attentional characteristic of EOT individuals might have mood protecting effects but also detrimental impacts on social relationships and coping competencies. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.