Heart rate response after emotional picture presentation is modulated by interoceptive awareness
Abstract
The perception of visceral signals plays a crucial role in many theories of emotions. The present study was designed to investigate the relationship between interoceptive awareness, emotional experience and heart rate responses in an emotional stimulation paradigm. Based on their performance in a heartbeat perception task 38 participants (16 males, 22 females) were classified as subjects with either high (n=19; 8 males) or low interoceptive awareness (n=19; 8 males). 120 pictures (40 pleasant, 40 unpleasant, 40 neutral slides) from the International Affective Picture System served as emotional stimuli. Heart rate changes were recorded during baseline and during slide presentation. After each slide, the subjects had to rate emotional valence and arousal on a 9-point self-report scale. Statistical analyses revealed significantly stronger heart rate responses to pleasant and unpleasant stimuli in subjects with high interoceptive awareness. Furthermore, subjects with high interoceptive awareness rated pleasant and unpleasant slides as significantly more arousing; no differences were found in the emotional valence ratings. Heartbeat perception scores correlated significantly positive with both the mean arousal rating and with the mean heart rate changes. Our results demonstrate a strong relationship between the perception of cardiac signals and the peripheral processing of emotional stimuli.
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Across individuals, interoceptive accuracy is correlated with emotional intensity.
“and emotional intensity (Füstös et al., 2012; Herbert et al., 2011; Pollatos, Herbert, et al., 2007; Pollatos, Traut-Mattausch, et al., 2007; Wiens et al., 2000).”
From Atypical interoception as a common risk factor for psychopathology: A review (2021) · cites this paper as Pollatos, Herbert, et al., 2007
People who can judge their bodily signals, such as the timing of their heartbeats, to a high level of accuracy experience emotions more intensely.
“People who can judge their bodily signals (e.g., the timing of their heartbeats) to a high level of accuracy experience emotions more intensely (Wiens et al., 2000; Pollatos et al., 2007a,b)”
From Neuroimaging and psychophysiological investigation of the link between anxiety, enhanced affective reactivity and interoception in people with joint hypermobility (2014) · cites this paper as Pollatos et al., 2007a,b
This uncontrolled increased cardiac response may result, through associative learning mechanisms, in increased interoceptive sensitivity, which in turn may have emotional consequences.
“This uncontrolled increased cardiac response may result (through associative learning mechanisms) in increased interoceptive sensitivity (Pollatos et al., 2007a), which in turn may have emotional consequences.”
From Neuroimaging and psychophysiological investigation of the link between anxiety, enhanced affective reactivity and interoception in people with joint hypermobility (2014) · cites this paper as Pollatos et al., 2007a
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- Authors
- Pollatos, O., Herbert, B. M., Matthias, E., & Schandry, R.
- Affiliations
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Pollatos, Olga
- Venue
- International Journal of Psychophysiology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2007-01
- Volume
- 63
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 117-124
- ISSN
- 0167-8760 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2011392044
- Cited by
- 205
- References
- 14
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 9
- FWCI
- 5.69
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- International Journal of Psychophysiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Tactile and Sensory Interactions
- Keywords
- interoceptive awareness, heart rate, emotional arousal, emotional valence, heartbeat perception, autonomic nervous system
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Analysis of Variance, Attention, Awareness, Electroencephalography, Emotions, Female, Heart Rate, Humans, Male, Pattern Recognition, Visual, Photic Stimulation, Self-Assessment
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