title: Affective processing in natural scene viewing: valence and arousal interactions in eye-fixation-related potentials.
abstract: Attention is drawn to emotionally salient stimuli. The present study investigates processing of emotionally salient regions during free viewing of emotional scenes that were categorized according to the two-dimensional model comprising of valence (unpleasant, pleasant) and arousal (high, low). Recent studies have reported interactions between these dimensions, indicative of stimulus-evoked approach or withdrawal tendencies. We addressed the valence and arousal effects when emotional items were embedded in complex real-world scenes by analyzing both eye movement behavior and eye-fixation-related potentials (EFRPs) time-locked to the critical event of fixating the emotionally salient items for the first time. Both data sets showed an interaction between the valence and arousal dimensions. First, the fixation rates and gaze durations on emotionally salient regions were enhanced for unpleasant versus pleasant images in the high arousal condition. In the low arousal condition, both measures were enhanced for pleasant versus unpleasant images. Second, the EFRP results at 140-170 ms [P2] over the central site showed stronger responses for high versus low arousing images in the unpleasant condition. In addition, the parietal LPP responses at 400-500 ms post-fixation were enhanced for stimuli reflecting congruent stimulus dimensions, that is, stronger responses for high versus low arousing images in the unpleasant condition and stronger responses for low versus high arousing images in the pleasant condition. The present findings support the interactive two-dimensional approach, according to which the integration of valence and arousal recruits brain regions associated with action tendencies of approach or withdrawal.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Vision Action Cognition (VAC), Université Paris Descartes - Institut de Psychologie, France; Chart-Lutin, Université Paris8, Saint-Denis, France; Cognitive Science & Cognitive Brain Research Unit (CBRU), University of Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: jaana.simola@helsinki.fi.
authors.forename: Jaana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Simola
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Vision Action Cognition (VAC), Université Paris Descartes - Institut de Psychologie, France; Chart-Lutin, Université Paris8, Saint-Denis, France. Electronic address: kevin.le-fevre02@univ-paris8.fr.
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Le Fevre
authors.affiliation: Cognitive Science & Cognitive Brain Research Unit (CBRU), University of Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: jari.torniainen@aalto.fi.
authors.forename: Jari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Torniainen
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Vision Action Cognition (VAC), Université Paris Descartes - Institut de Psychologie, France; Chart-Lutin, Université Paris8, Saint-Denis, France. Electronic address: thierry.baccino@univ-paris8.fr.
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Baccino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D063132:Connectome / Q000379:methods; D003463:Cues; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005403:Fixation, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: EEG; attention; emotion; emotional salience; eye movements; eye-fixation-related potentials