title: Emotional conflict processing induce boosted theta oscillation.
abstract: Although previous studies have reported the neural correlates and dynamics of emotional conflict processing, the neural oscillatory features of such processing remain unclear. The present study uses time-frequency analysis to determine the event-related spectral perturbation (ERSP) characteristics underlying emotional conflict processing. Our behavioral results replicate previous findings of shorter response times and fewer response errors under the congruent condition relative to the incongruent condition, indicating a robust interference effect. Theta oscillatory activity was larger for the incongruent than for the congruent condition over frontal and frontal-central midline areas, reflecting a greater need for control under conditions of conflict. Moreover, the theta power difference was negatively associated with the RT difference, indicating that greater theta power leads to better behavioral performance. The present findings provide evidence that the theta oscillation is necessary for the control of emotional conflict.
authors: Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Southwest University (SWU), Chongqing 400715, China; Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University (SWU), Chongqing 400715, China; Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing 400065, China.
authors: Jianling
authors: J
authors: Ma
authors: Yangtze Normal University, Chongqing 408100, China.
authors: Chang
authors: C
authors: Liu
authors: Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Southwest University (SWU), Chongqing 400715, China; Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University (SWU), Chongqing 400715, China. Electronic address: chenxu@swu.edu.cn.
authors: Xu
authors: X
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D057190:Stroop Test; D013826:Theta Rhythm; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: ERSP; Emotional body-word conflict; Theta oscillation; Time–frequency analysis