A Study of Physiological Response during Emotional Imaging

Abstract

We inspected Lang's bio-informational theory and furthered the research. 24 subjects were divided into two groups, a stimulus group (S-group) and a response group (R-group) for scripts with Joy, Anger, and Neutral emotions. In the training session, the S-group was instructed to image the scripts as vividly as possible, while the R-group was instructed to concentrate on physiological and physical responses in addition to what was asked of the S-group. On the test day, subjects imaged two Neutral scripts, two standard emotional scripts, and two personally relevant emotional scripts. Indices were physiological response (blood pressure) and subjects' ratings for imaging. We confirmed that emotional scripts increased physiological responses more than nonemotional scripts did. The results suggested that the differences in the scripts' content affected blood pressure and subjects' ratings of imaging.

Granting Forgiveness or Harboring Grudges: Implications for Emotion, Physiology, and Health

“…Mean Arterial Pressure Figure 4 shows that mean arterial pressure (MAP) increases were significantly greater during the unforgiving than the forgiving conditions, F (1, 68) = 8.98, p < .01, as hypothesized. This finding parallels the HR data, ratings results, and findings in the literature, which link blood pressure reactivity to higher levels of arousal (e.g., Yogo et al, 1995) and anger (e.g., Kunzendorf, Cohen, Francis, & Cutler, 1996). During the recovery periods, MAP did not differ significantly between conditions, F (1,68) = .185, p = .668.…”

“…For example, the valence of emotion is important for facial expressions, with negative imagery stimulating greater muscle tension in the brow (Witvliet & Vrana, 1995). With heightened emotional arousal, cardiovascular measures such as blood pressure (e.g., Yogo, Hama, Yogo, & Matsuyama, 1995) and heart rate show greater reactivity, and skin conductance-an index of sympathetic nervous system activity-is also more reactive (e.g., Witvliet & Vrana, 1995).…”

Experimental Methods for Inducing Basic Emotions: A Qualitative Review

“…We therefore recommend imagery or recall as the strongest techniques for inducing anger, followed by situational procedures, visual stimuli, and music. Within imagery and/or recall, we recommend methods that ask participants to focus on physiological variables, rather than just imagining/recalling events vividly (Yogo, Hama, Yogo, & Matsuyama, 1995). Imagery vignettes that focus on social scenarios (e.g., people cutting into a queue) appear to be particularly effective (e.g., Vrana & Rollock, 2002; d = 2.82, relative to a neutral control).…”

Emergent Ghosts of the Emotion Machine

“…For example, researchers have observed associations between indications of autonomic arousal (including changes in heart rate, respiration rate, pupil diameter, galvanic skin responses, etc.) and a variety of threat-related stimuli, including film clips (Kreibig et al, 2007), digital images (Bradley & Lang, 2007;Bradley, Miccoli, Escrig, & Lang, 2008), mental imagery (Stemmler, Aue, & Wacker, 2007;Yogo, Hama, Yogo, & Matsuyama, 1995), social threat tasks (Kirschbaum, Pirke, & Hellhammer, 1993;Roy, Kirschbaum, & Steptoe, 2001), and even posed facial expressions (Levenson, Ekman, & Friesen, 1990;Levenson, Ekman, Heider, & Friesen, 1992). Although the degree to which there are fear-specific patterns of ANS arousal is contested (Barrett, 2006a;Levenson & Ekman, 2002;Ortony & Turner, 1990), few would disagree that diffuse ANS arousal (at the very least) frequently accompanies fearful responses.…”