Abstract
The classic account of language is that language processing occurs in isolation from other cognitive systems, like perception, motor action, and emotion. The central theme of this paper is the relationship between a participant’s emotional state and language comprehension. Does emotional context affect how we process neutral words? Recent studies showed that processing of word meaning – traditionally conceived as an automatic process – is affected by emotional state. The influence of emotional state on syntactic processing is less clear. One study reported a mood-related P600 modulation, while another study did not observe an effect of mood on syntactic processing. The goals of this study were: First, to clarify whether and if so how mood affects syntactic processing. Second, to shed light on the underlying mechanisms by separating possible effects of mood from those of attention on syntactic processing. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded while participants read syntactically correct or incorrect sentences. Mood (happy vs. sad) was manipulated by presenting film clips. Attention was manipulated by directing attention to syntactic features vs. physical features. The mood induction was effective. Interactions between mood, attention and syntactic correctness were obtained, showing that mood and attention modulated P600. The mood manipulation led to a reduction in P600 for sad as compared to happy mood when attention was directed at syntactic features. The attention manipulation led to a reduction in P600 when attention was directed at physical features compared to syntactic features for happy mood. From this we draw two conclusions: First, emotional state does affect syntactic processing. We propose mood-related differences in the reliance on heuristics as the underlying mechanism. Second, attention can contribute to emotion-related ERP effects in syntactic language processing. Therefore, future studies on the relation between language and emotion will have to control for effects of attention.
Highlights
Emotions have an influence on how we see the world
To test whether the in the present study reported modulations in P600 amplitude by mood were accompanied by changes in emotional state, correlation analyses were performed
While the absence of an effect of emotional state on syntax seems to fit well with the view that syntactic processing is of a modular nature, the finding of a mood by syntax interaction calls this view into question
Summary
Emotions have an influence on how we see the world. Fear spreads through the human body and brain and it urges us to take actions for flight or defense. Fear directs our attention to signs of danger or safety in the environment. The brain has, so to speak, been simplified to respond to danger and this mode is turned on by the emotional signal. The emotions we experience color the way we perceive the world around us. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between emotional state, attention and language processing
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