Reduced affect display

Reduced affect displays (better known as emotional blunting) is the condition where a person has a reduced emotional reaction. People with this condition have problems expressing their feelings. They are unable to do this while they talk about certain problems which normally cause people to express emotions. Expressive gestures aren't common. There is also little or no animation in the facial expressions or the changes for certain people's voices. Reduced affect is often the symptom of autism, depression, schizoid personality disorder, schizophrenia or even post-traumatic stress disorder. It is also often the side effect of certain drugs (these tend to include antipsychotic or antidepressant drugs).

Reduced affect is different from apathy and anhedonia (these others mean not having enough or any emotion). Reduced affect means not enough or any expressions of emotion (affect displays), without mattering whether or not emotions are actually reduced.

Types of flat or blunted affects

Constricted or restricted affects mean when one's abilities to express themselves with certain levels of emotional intensity are limited or not done fully.

Blunted affect is totally different from flat affects. "Blunted" (in blunted affects) means people still have affects. These people's responses in emotions, however, are usually not intense or strong like others would normally predict.