Related to blunted affect: Flat affect. [af´ekt] the external expression of emotion attached to ideas or mental representations of objects. see also mood. blunted affect severe reduction in the intensity of affect; a common symptom of schizophrenic disorders. constricted affect restricted affect. flat affect lack of emotional expression. inappropriate affect affect that is incongruent with the situation or with the content of a patient's ideas or speech. labile affect that characterized by rapid changes in emotion unrelated to external events or stimuli.