The emotion probe: Studies of motivation and attention.

TLDR

Emotions are action dispositions governed by two opponent motivational systems—appetitive and aversive subcortical circuits that drive reactions to primary reinforcers. A large emotional picture library showed that picture valence and arousal reliably predict affective psychophysiology and modulate startle reflexes—potentiating them during unpleasant images, inhibiting them during pleasant ones, with effects amplified by high arousal—providing insights for basic emotion research, psychopathology, and orienting and defense theories while outlining constraints and future directions.

Abstract

Emotions are action dispositions--states of vigilant readiness that vary widely in reported affect, physiology, and behavior. They are driven, however, by only 2 opponent motivational systems, appetitive and aversive--subcortical circuits that mediate reactions to primary reinforcers. Using a large emotional picture library, reliable affective psychophysiologies are shown, defined by the judged valence (appetitive/pleasant or aversive/unpleasant) and arousal of picture percepts. Picture-evoked affects also modulate responses to independently presented startle probe stimuli. In other words, they potentiate startle reflexes during unpleasant pictures and inhibit them during pleasant pictures, and both effects are augmented by high picture arousal. Implications are elucidated for research in basic emotions, psychopathology, and theories of orienting and defense. Conclusions highlight both the approach's constraints and promising paths for future study.