Abstract
Appraisal theories suggest that valence appraisal should be differentiated into micro-valences, such as intrinsic pleasantness and goal-/need-related appraisals. In contrast to a macro-valence approach, this dissociation explains, among other things, the emergence of mixed or blended emotions. Here, we extend earlier research that showed that these valence types can be empirically dissociated. We examine the timing and the response patterns of these two micro-valences via measuring facial muscle activity changes (electromyography, EMG) over the brow and the cheek regions. In addition, we explore the effects of the sensory stimulus modality (vision, audition, and olfaction) on these patterns. The two micro-valences were manipulated in a social judgment task: first, intrinsic un/pleasantness (IP) was manipulated by exposing participants to appropriate stimuli presented in different sensory domains followed by a goal conduciveness/obstruction (GC) manipulation consisting of feedback on participants’ judgments that were congruent or incongruent with their task-related goal. The results show significantly different EMG responses and timing patterns for both types of micro-valence, confirming the prediction that they are independent, consecutive parts of the appraisal process. Moreover, the lack of interaction effects with the sensory stimulus modality suggests high generalizability of the underlying appraisal mechanisms across different perception channels.
Highlights
The concept of valence is generally considered as a central feature of emotion experience (and “probably the mostHandling editor: Phoebe Ellsworth Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology, Hall in Tirol, Austria 4 Lyon, France 5 Wyss Center for Bio- and Neuroengineering, Geneva, Switzerland promising criterion for demarcating emotion from cognition”; Charland, 2005, p. 82)
As to the central aims listed in the “Introduction,” we draw the following three major conclusions: (1) the results support the prediction of the Component Process Model of emotion (CPM) that intrinsic un/pleasantness (IP) and goal conduciveness/obstruction (GC) effects can be clearly differentiated regarding their timing and response patterning; (2) while the response patterns overlap, as found in earlier work, our results suggest that for IP, pleasantness outcome has a stronger impact on the cheek region than on the brow region
The results show clearly distinct facial EMG responses and timing patterns for both types of micro-valence, confirming the prediction that they are independent, consecutive appraisal processes
Summary
The concept of valence is generally considered as a central feature of emotion experience Emotion researchers mostly use valence to describe the positive or negative quality of emotion or its components such as subjective feelings, expression, and behavioral responses (Brosch & Moors, 2009). In a largescale intercultural study of the semantic structure of emotion terms in 23 different languages, Fontaine, Scherer and Soriano (2013) confirmed that valence is by far the most powerful of the four basic dimensions differentiating them. Given that many languages have several hundred emotion terms, it would be highly unsatisfactory to reduce this variety to a distinction between positive and negative emotions.
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