title: Differences in the dynamics of affective and cognitive processing - An ERP study.
abstract: A controversy in emotion research concerns the question of whether affective or cognitive primacy are evident in processing affective stimuli and the factors contributing to each alternative. Using electrophysiological recordings in an adapted visual oddball paradigm allowed tracking the dynamics of affective and cognitive effects. Stimuli consisted of face pictures displaying affective expressions with rare oddballs differing from frequent stimuli in either affective expression, structure (while frequent stimuli were shown frontally these deviants were turned sideways) or they differed on both dimensions, i.e. in affective expression and structure. Results revealed a defined sequence of differences in ERP amplitudes: For stimuli deviating in their affective expression only, P1 modulations ~100ms were evident, while affective differences of structure deviants were not evident before the N170 time window. All three types of deviants differed in P300 amplitudes, indicating integration of affective and structural information. These results encompass evidence for both, cognitive and affective primacy depending on stimulus properties. Specifically affective primacy is only visible when the respective facial features can be extracted with ease. When structural differences make face processing harder, however, cognitive primacy is brought forward.
authors.affiliation: Experimental Psychology & Methods, Ruhr Universität Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44780 Bochum, Germany; International Psychoanalytic University Berlin, Methods & Evaluation, Universitätsstraße 150, 44780 Bochum, Germany. Electronic address: Christina.Mueller-g4m@rub.de.
authors.forename: Christina J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Mueller
authors.affiliation: Experimental Psychology & Methods, Ruhr Universität Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44780 Bochum, Germany. Electronic address: Nathalie.Fritsch@rub.de.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fritsch
authors.affiliation: General and Biological Psychology, Bergische Universität Wuppertal, Max Horkheimer Str. 20, 42119 Wuppertal, Germany. Electronic address: mhofmann@uni-wuppertal.de.
authors.forename: Markus J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.affiliation: Experimental Psychology & Methods, Ruhr Universität Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44780 Bochum, Germany; International Psychoanalytic University Berlin, Methods & Evaluation, Universitätsstraße 150, 44780 Bochum, Germany. Electronic address: lars.kuchinke@ipu-berlin.de.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kuchinke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D000066499:Facial Recognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Affective Primacy; Cognitive Primacy; ERP; Face perception; Oddball