Psychophysiological responses as indices of affective dimensions
Abstract
The startle reflex, facial electromyogram (EMG), and autonomic nervous system responses were examined during imagery varying in affective valence and arousal. Subjects (N = 48) imagined affective situations during tone-cued 8-s trials. Startle blink magnitudes were larger and latencies faster during negatively valent than during positively valent conditions and during high-arousal than during low-arousal conditions. Greatest heart rate acceleration and fastest and largest skin conductance responses to startle probes occurred during high-arousal imagery. Zygomatic and orbicularis oculi facial muscle activities were higher during high-arousal imagery, whereas corrugator muscle activity was higher during low-arousal imagery. Zygomatic and corrugator activity also varied with emotional valence. The startle and facial EMG responses are most parsimoniously organized by the negative affect (NA) and positive affect (PA) dimensions, respectively. This NA/PA framework integrates previous research, dimensional theories of emotional behavior, and physiological assessment of pathological emotion.
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Studies in the past few decades support a role for both discrete categories and broader dimensions related to appraisals and motivational significance in ANS activity.
“Studies in the past few decades support a role for both, implying a gradient of autonomic specificity where autonomic differentiation exists at multiple levels (e.g., Christie and Friedman, 2004;Nyklíček et al., 1997;Witvliet and Vrana, 1995).”
From Physiological feelings (2019) · cites this paper as Witvliet and Vrana, 1995
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- Authors
- VanOYEN WITVLIET, C., & VRANA, S. R.
- Affiliations
- Purdue University West Lafayette (US)
- ORCID
- VRANA, SCOTT R.
- Venue
- Psychophysiology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 1995-09
- Volume
- 32
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 436-443
- ISSN
- 0048-5772 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-8986
- OpenAlex
- W2045439170
- Cited by
- 310
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 7.68
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychophysiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (MH46861, R03MH046861)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Emotion and Mood Recognition
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Keywords
- affective imagery, emotional valence, arousal, startle response, facial electromyography, zygomaticus, corrugator supercilii, orbicularis oculi muscle, heart rate, skin conductance, autonomic nervous system, negative affect, positive affect
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Affect, Arousal, Autonomic Nervous System, Cues, Electromyography, Emotions, Face, Female, Galvanic Skin Response, Heart Rate, Humans, Male, Psychophysiology, Reflex, Startle
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