title: Feeling good: autonomic nervous system responding in five positive emotions.
abstract: Although dozens of studies have examined the autonomic nervous system (ANS) aspects of negative emotions, less is known about ANS responding in positive emotion. An evolutionary framework was used to define five positive emotions in terms of fitness-enhancing function, and to guide hypotheses regarding autonomic responding. In a repeated measures design, participants viewed sets of visual images eliciting these positive emotions (anticipatory enthusiasm, attachment love, nurturant love, amusement, and awe) plus an emotionally neutral state. Peripheral measures of sympathetic and vagal parasympathetic activation were assessed. Results indicated that the emotion conditions were characterized by qualitatively distinct profiles of autonomic activation, suggesting the existence of multiple, physiologically distinct positive emotions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1104, USA. Lani.Shiota@asu.edu
authors.forename: Michelle N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Shiota
authors.forename: Samantha L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Neufeld
authors.forename: Wan H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Yeung
authors.forename: Stephanie E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Moser
authors.forename: Elaine F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Perea
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D059031:Anticipation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D001146:Arrhythmia, Sinus / Q000503:physiopathology; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response / Q000502:physiology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008149:Love; D008297:Male; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D056152:Respiratory Rate / Q000502:physiology; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology