You suspect stiffening of affect in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

Observe the patient's emotional display across a changing conversation over time, since this is the best way of identifying the pattern rather than relying on a single snapshot. Note specifically whether the affect present is reduced in intensity, which would point toward blunting instead, or whether it remains full in intensity but simply fails to shift as topics change in ways that would ordinarily be expected to alter it. Consider whether the fixed emotional stance, such as persistent hostility or wariness, reflects a longstanding, entrenched pattern, and note the specific quality of the fixed affect present.