Abstract
Evolutionary reasoning and computation suggest that positive affect is associated with higher attentional flexibility than negative affect, even when affectively neutral material is processed. The affective modulation of interference in the Eriksen flanker task seems, however, more readily explained by a spatial broadening of attention due to positive affect. It is argued here that these results should also be interpreted in terms of an increased switching over time between flankers and target (i.e., flexibility). The two hypotheses were contrasted with positive and negative mood inductions in a masked-flanker task. The interval (Stimulus Onset Asynchrony; SOA) with which the masked flankers preceded the target letter was parametrically varied. In contrast to what is found with simultaneous non-masked flanker presentation, masking produced larger interference with negative than with positive moods. In addition, a crossover interaction between mood and SOA emerged. These results seem incompatible with a spatial broadening account and support an affective modulation account in terms of flexibility.
Highlights
Evolution has equipped the human organism with basic mechanisms for dealing with opportunities and priorities
In our evolutionary simulations it serendipitously emerged that positive affect was associated with high flexibility and facilitated switching over time to potentially negative events, and that negative affect corresponded with low distractibility (Heerebout & Phaf, 2010a, b)
This study aims to show that one of the findings supporting the spatial hypothesis is more consistent with the temporal hypothesis
Summary
In our evolutionary simulations it serendipitously emerged that positive affect was associated with high flexibility and facilitated switching over time to potentially negative events, and that negative affect corresponded with low distractibility (Heerebout & Phaf, 2010a, b) This hypothesis agrees with the classic broadenand-build theory due to positive affect of Fredrickson (2004), which compounds modulatory effects on temporal (i.e., flexibility) and spatial (i.e., the focus size) attention. No evolutionary motivation for it has been posited, the broadening hypothesis holds that positive affect extends spatial attention to large-scale stimulus features Both flexibility (e.g., Baumann & Kuhl, 2005; Heerebout, Todorović, Smedinga, & Phaf, 2013; Tan, Jones, & Watson, 2009; but see Huntsinger, Clore, & Bar-Anan, 2010) and broadening hypotheses (Gasper & Clore, 2002; Rowe, Hirsh, & Anderson, 2007) have received ample empirical support. This study aims to show that one of the findings supporting the spatial hypothesis is more consistent with the temporal hypothesis
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