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In the present work, we explore the development of processing of emotional facial configurations under a predictive processing (or predictive coding) framework. Predictive processing provides a new approach to brain function that has been used to explain a wide range of processes, from perception to socioemotional processing. The explanatory power of this framework for adult brain function is widely recognized, but it has yet to be systematically applied to understanding the developing brain. Studying the findings of developmental research under this framework may allow a deeper understanding of the predictive mechanisms and their ontogenetic course, and adds to knowledge on brain functions and developmental processes. Therefore, the goal of this work was to explore the potential complementarity of predictive processing and development. Specifically, we focus on how the development of facial and emotion processing may be understood under a predictive processing framework. The processing of facial expressions was selected because of the developmental relevance of these stimuli, their impact on general emotional development, as well as the large body of literature on this topic (comprised of both well-established but also incongruent findings, which a novel approach may clarify). Considering the main findings of developmental research on the processing of emotion-related facial configurations under this framework, we argue that predictive processing is consistent with developmental evidence and provides a promising avenue for developmental research, as it reveals new questions in the fields of development and emotion processing.

Introduction: Models of attachment and information processing suggest that the attention infants allocate to social information might occur in a schemadriven processing manner according to their attachment pattern. A major source of social information for infants consists of facial expressions of emotion. We tested for differences in attention to facial expressions and emotional discrimination between infants classified as securely attached (B), insecureavoidant (A), and insecure-resistant (C). Methods: Sixty-one 14-month-old infants participated in the Strange Situation Procedure and an experimental task of Visual Habituation and Visual Paired-Comparison Task (VPC). In the Habituation phase, a Low-Arousal Happy face (habituation face) was presented followed by a VPC task of 6 trials composed of two contrasting emotional faces always involving the same actress: the one used in habituation (trial old face) and a new one (trial new face) portraying changes in valence (Low-Arousal Angry face), arousal (High-Arousal Happy face), or valence + arousal (High-Arousal Angry face). Measures of fixation time (FT) and number of fixations (FC) were obtained for the habituation face, the trial old face, the trial new face, and the difference between the trial old face and the trial new face using an eye-tracking system. Results: We found a higher FT and FC for the trial new face when compared with the trial old face, regardless of the emotional condition (valence, arousal, valence + arousal contrasts), suggesting that 14-month-old infants were able to discriminate different emotional faces. However, this effect differed according to attachment pattern: resistant-attached infants (C) had significantly higher FT and FC for the new face than patterns B and A, indicating they may remain hypervigilant toward emotional change. On the contrary, avoidant infants (A) revealed significantly longer looking times to the trial old face, suggesting overall avoidance of novel expressions and thus less sensitivity to emotional change. Discussion: Overall, these findings corroborate that attachment is associated with infants' social information processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empathy is a crucial component to infer and understand others' emotions. However, a synthesis of studies regarding empathy and its neuronal correlates in perceptual tasks using event-related potentials (ERPs) has yet to occur. The current systematic review aimed to provide that overview. Upon bibliographic research, 30 studies featuring empathy assessments and at least one perceptual task measuring ERP components in healthy participants were included. Four main focus categories were identified, as follows: Affective Pictures, Facial Stimuli, Mental States, and Social Language. The Late Positive Potential was the most analyzed in Affective Pictures and was reported to be positively correlated with cognitive and affective empathy, along with other late components. In contrast, for Facial Stimuli, early components presented significant correlations with empathy scales. Particularly, the N170 presented negative correlations with cognitive and affective empathy. Finally, augmented N400 was suggested to be associated with higher empathy scores in the Mental States and Social Language categories. These findings highlight the relevance of early perceptual stages of empathic processing and how different EEG/ERP methodologies provide relevant information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]