Exploring the motivational brain: effects of implicit power motivation on brain activation in response to facial expressions of emotion.
This study tested the hypothesis that implicit power motivation (nPower), in interaction with power incentives, influences activation of brain systems mediating motivation. Twelve individuals low (lowest quartile) and 12 individuals high (highest quartile) in nPower, as assessed per content coding of picture stories, were selected from a larger initial participant pool and participated in a functional magnetic resonance imaging study during which they viewed high-dominance (angry faces), low-dominance (surprised faces) and control stimuli (neutral faces, gray squares) under oddball-task conditions. Consistent with hypotheses, high-power participants showed stronger activation in response to emotional faces in brain structures involved in emotion and motivation (insula, dorsal striatum, orbitofrontal cortex) than low-power participants.
Schultheiss
Oliver C
OC
Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. Oliver.Schultheiss@psy.phil.uni-erlangen.de
Wirth
Michelle M
MM
Waugh
Christian E
CE
Stanton
Steven J
SJ
Meier
Elizabeth A
EA
Reuter-Lorenz
Patricia
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult
D010100:Oxygen