According to a research study, how do people with depression perceive sad facial expressions?

People with depression often exhibit heightened sensitivity to emotional expressions, particularly those that align with their own emotional state, such as sadness. Research indicates that individuals with depression are more attuned to sad facial expressions, which may stem from their focus on negative emotional cues in their environment. This sensitivity is especially pronounced when the expressions are of lower intensity, suggesting that they can detect subtle variations in sadness more readily than those without depression. This heightened awareness may be linked to cognitive biases that reinforce their negative emotions and perceptions, making it easier for them to identify sadness in others. In contrast, the other options do not align with the prevalent findings in psychological research regarding affective processing in individuals with depression.