The neural correlates of the dominance dimension of emotion

Abstract

Emotion has been conceptualized as a dimensional construct, while the number of dimensions – two or three – has been debated. Research has consistently identified two dimensions – valence and arousal – though ample evidence exists that three dimensions are necessary to describe emotion. One proposed third dimension, identified as dominance, is relevant in clinical syndromes, personality and consumer psychology. Dominance refers to an individual's sense of having an ability to affect the environment. Neuroimaging studies have generally focused on the two dimensions of valence and arousal, leaving the neural correlates of dominance unexplored. The current study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to explore the neural basis of dominance in 17 healthy male controls. Participants viewed images from the International Affective Picture System that were selected to represent high and low dominance conditions. Results indicated activation in paralimbic regions, including the bilateral anterior insula for high dominance and the right precuneus for low. The findings of this exploratory study support the consideration of dominance in dimensional models of emotion and suggest that further research is needed to understand the neural representation of dominance in emotional experience.