Abstract
BackgroundVery often, encouraging or discouraging expressions are used in competitive contexts, such as sports practice, aiming at provoking an emotional reaction on the listener and, consequently, an effect on subsequent cognition and/or performance. However, the actual efficiency of these expressions has not been tested scientifically.Methodology/Principal FindingsTo fill this gap, we studied the effects of encouraging, discouraging, and neutral expressions on event-related brain electrical activity during a visual selective attention task in which targets were determined by location, shape, and color. Although the expressions preceded the attentional task, both encouraging and discouraging messages elicited a similar long-lasting brain emotional response present during the visuospatial task. In addition, encouraging expressions were able to alter the customary working pattern of the visual attention system for shape selection in the attended location, increasing the P1 and the SP modulations while simultaneously fading away the SN.Conclusions/SignificanceThis was interpreted as an enhancement of the attentional processes for shape in the attended location after an encouraging expression. It can be stated, therefore, that encouraging expressions, as those used in sport practice, as well as in many other contexts and situations, do seem to be efficient in exerting emotional reactions and measurable effects on cognition.
Highlights
The interplay between emotion and cognition has preoccupied philosophers and classical writers for many centuries
Behavioral data Reaction times (RTs) to target stimuli presented after positive expressions (mean: 606.09 milliseconds, Sd: 59.96) were very similar to RTs to stimuli presented after neutral expressions
For stimuli presented after negative expressions it was a little lower (25.99%) than for stimuli presented after positive expressions (27.87%) or after neutral expressions (28.28%)
Summary
The interplay between emotion and cognition has preoccupied philosophers and classical writers for many centuries. The concept of emotion presents many puzzles, beginning with James’s [2] still unanswered question what is an emotion. It is puzzling the array of vastly different theories about the nature of emotion that have arisen. Emotions are typically more intensive than moods [5], the latter typically having a lack of the pronounced facial expression and changes in autonomic activity associated with emotions. Very often, encouraging or discouraging expressions are used in competitive contexts, such as sports practice, aiming at provoking an emotional reaction on the listener and, an effect on subsequent cognition and/or performance. The actual efficiency of these expressions has not been tested scientifically
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