title: The psychophysiology of mixed emotional states.
abstract: How to conceptualize mixed emotional states is a central issue in the field of affective science. Nondifferentiation, additive, and emergence accounts of mixed emotions make divergent predictions regarding physiological responses in mixed emotions. To test these predictions, 43 women watched film clips that elicited amusement, disgust, or mixed emotions while feeling self-report, facial electromyography, cardiovascular, electrodermal, and respiratory measures were assessed. Simultaneous self-reports of amusement and disgust confirmed elicitation of a mixed emotional state. Physiologically, mixed emotions differed from pure amusement and pure disgust both in intensity and pattern. This suggests a distinct physiological response of the mixed emotional state, as predicted by the emergence account of mixed emotions. Implications for emotion theory and research are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA. sylvia.kreibig@stanford.edu
authors.forename: Sylvia D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Kreibig
authors.forename: Andrea C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Samson
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Gross
mesh_terms: D001143:Arousal; D002307:Cardiography, Impedance; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005149:Facial Expression; D005152:Facial Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011603:Psychophysiology; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Amusement; Autonomic response patterns; Cardiovascular; Disgust; Electrodermal; Electromyography; Mixed emotional states; Respiratory