Frontal Alpha Asymmetry Research Articles

The relationship between frontal alpha asymmetry and self-report measurements of depression, anxiety, stress, and self-regulation

Though previous research yielded inconsistent results, studies suggest an association between frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA), mood, and self-regulation. This inconsistency may be explained by the heterogeneity of experimental protocols and sample characteristics such as the baseline level of distress. The aim of the study was to gain a better understanding of the relationship between FAA and self-report measurements of depression, anxiety, stress, and self-regulation. Using data from 130 participants (Mage = 25.2; SD = 6.8), we conducted correlation analyses and Bayesian statistics to examine these associations. The results revealed moderate-level positive correlations among depression, anxiety, and stress scores measured by the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, with notable negative correlations observed between self-regulation and depression, as well as between self-regulation and stress. The relationship between FAA and mood was sample-dependent, and effects were restricted to the sample with moderate to extreme levels of distress, revealing consistent patterns within these subgroups. Most importantly, there was a negative correlation between FAA and anxiety. However, there was no clear association between FAA and depression. Consequently, our results show that self-regulation is associated with reduced distress, and that FAA may be a useful biomarker for anxiety in individuals with moderate to high baseline distress levels.

Augmenting self-guided virtual-reality exposure therapy for social anxiety with biofeedback: a randomised controlled trial

IntroductionWe previously found that self-guided Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) improved Public Speaking Anxiety (PSA) and reduced heartrate. Elevated heartrate characterises social anxiety and the self-guided VRET seemed to reduce heartrate. Thus, receiving continuous biofeedback about physiological arousal during the VRET could help socially anxious individuals to manage their anxiety. The present study aimed to determine whether biofeedback enhances the responsiveness of VRET.MethodsSeventy-two individuals with high self-reported social anxiety were randomly allocated to VRET-plus-biofeedback (n=38; 25 completers) or VRET-alone (n=35; 25 completers). Three hour-long VRET sessions were delivered over two consecutive weeks. During each session, participants delivered a 20-minute public speech in front of a virtual audience.ResultsParticipants in the VRET-plus-biofeedback group received biofeedback on heartrate and frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) within the virtual environment and were asked to lower their arousal accordingly. Participants in both groups completed psychometric assessments of social anxiety after each session and at one-month follow-up. PSA improved by the end of treatment and overall social anxiety improved one month after the VRET across both groups. The VRET-plus-biofeedback group showed a steadier reduction in FAA in the first VRET session and a greater reduction in self-reported arousal across the two sessions than the VRET-alone group.ConclusionBiofeedback can steady physiological arousal and lower perceived arousal during exposure. The benefits of self-guided VRET for social anxiety are sustained one month after therapy.

The effect of unilateral hand muscle contraction on frontal alpha asymmetry and inhibitory control in intrinsic reward contexts, a randomized controlled trial

Challenged inhibitory control has been implicated in various disorders, including addiction. Previous research suggests that asymmetry of frontal brain activity, indexed by frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA), is associated with inhibitory control and could be a target for neuromodulatory intervention. Some evidence suggests that unilateral muscle contraction (UMC) can modulate FAA; however, experimental evidence is scarce. We conducted a randomized controlled trial, with 65 participants (Mage = 26.6; SD = 7.4), 37 of whom were females. We collected EEG data to calculate FAA and assessed inhibitory performance using the Stop Signal Task (SST) in neutral and intrinsic reward (palatable food) conditions, both before and after a unilateral left-hand muscle contraction task aimed at enhancing right relative to left frontal activity. We found a significant main effect of group on FAA. Specifically, UMC group was associated with higher right relative to left frontal activity, associated with resting state inhibitory activity. Event-related potential analyses revealed a significant dissociation between the stop N2 and stop P3 components as a function of time. More specifically, as time progressed, the stop N2 was enhanced, while the stop P3 was reduced. These results did not lead to observable changes in the behavioral index of stopping. In conclusion, UMC did not affect any behavioral and brain activity indices. There is some indication of a potential effect on FAA. However, this effect could reflect coincidental differences in trait FAA. Our findings provide new insights into the temporal dynamics of brain activity indices of inhibitory control.

The effect of high- and low-approach motivated sadness on frontal alpha asymmetry and other metrics

Sadness is commonly perceived as an affective state with negative valence. However, studies on the psychological and physiological effects of sadness have yielded mixed results. We proposed a systematic analysis of sadness, taking into account an additional dimension - the intensity of approach motivation, understood as an urge to move toward. We induced low and high approach motivation sadness while measuring electrical brain activity (EEG). We predicted that low approach motivation sadness and high approach sadness would evoke different patterns of frontal alpha activity. In our study, 41 participants were randomly assigned to a low or high approach motivation sadness induction. A significant interaction was observed when comparing low and high approach motivation sadness across the presented stories, as measured by the frontal alpha asymmetry index. To furtherly explore this effect, we conducted cluster-based permutation analysis on individual alpha peak-centered spectra, which revealed a more centrally diffused effect over the frontal areas in both hemispheres as well a significant activation over the occipital region. Low approach motivation sadness was associated with reduced alpha power over frontal areas, while high approach motivation sadness was associated with increased alpha power in the same region, both in comparison to neutral condition. These results might reflect Default Mode Network activation or the projection from occipital area. Based on these results, we propose a new perspective on sadness as a heterogeneous state that should be evaluated based on the intensity of approach motivation, rather than solely on its valence.

Brain electrical patterns associated with pleasure and emotion induced by tonal and atonal music.

Several studies in the last 40 years have used electroencephalography (EEG) to recognize patterns of brain electrical activity correlated with emotions evoked by various stimuli. For example, the frontal alpha and theta asymmetry models to distinguish musical emotions and musical pleasure, respectively. Since these studies have used mainly tonal music, in this study, we decided to incorporate both tonal (n = 8) and atonal (n = 8) musical stimuli to observe the subjective and electrophysiological responses associated with valence, arousal, pleasure, and familiarity, from 25 nonmusician Mexican adults (10 females, 15 males; M = 37.8 years old, SD = 15.1). Our results showed that atonal music was perceived as less familiar and pleasurable than tonal music, according to the average subjective ratings. Interestingly, greater right hemispheric activity (alpha suppression) was associated with atonal music listening. Additionally, there was an increase of theta power at the right frontal cortex (F4) correlated with a decrease of pleasure ratings, in line with the frontal theta asymmetry (FTA) model. Finally, according to the model of frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) to distinguish musical emotions, activation (alpha suppression) of the left frontal cortex (F3) was correlated with greater valence and arousal-that is, joyful music. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Effectiveness of acute aerobic exercise in regulating emotions in individuals with test anxiety

High levels of test anxiety can cause negative emotional interference and have adverse effects in multiple aspects. It is currently unclear whether acute aerobic exercise can effectively reduce a series of negative emotions triggered by test anxiety. This study investigates the impact of 30 min of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise on the subjective emotional responses and frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) in individuals with high test anxiety. Forty-four college students with high test anxiety were randomly assigned to an aerobic exercise group and a control group. Each group underwent two tests, involving subjective scale measurements and resting-state EEG recordings, with a seven-day interval between tests. Results showed that after 30 min of moderate-intensity acute aerobic exercise, the intervention group had significantly reduced scores in subjective negative emotional experiences, and FAA indicators significantly increased. The study suggests that acute aerobic exercise can enhance the emotional regulation ability of college students with high test anxiety and reduce their negative emotions.

EEG frontal alpha asymmetry mediates the association between maternal and child internalizing symptoms in childhood.

Anxiety and depression are highly prevalent in youth and can cause significant distress and functional impairment. The presence of maternal anxiety and depression are well-established risk factors for child internalizing psychopathology, yet the responsible mechanisms linking the two remain unclear. We examined the potential mediating and moderating roles of EEG frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) in the intergenerational transmission of internalizing symptoms in a longitudinal sample of N = 323 mother-child dyads. Self-report maternal internalizing symptoms were evaluated at child age 3 years and 5 years, child EEG at 5 years, and parent-report child internalizing symptoms at age 7 years. Mediation was evaluated via bootstrapped ( N = 5000) confidence intervals. We found significant associations among maternal internalizing (anxiety, depressive) symptoms at child ages 3 and 5 years, child FAA at age 5 years, and child internalizing symptoms at age 7 years. There was a significant mediation effect, whereby greater maternal anxiety and depressive symptoms at age 3 years were significantly associated with greater relative right FAA in children at age 5 years, which, in turn, was significantly associated with greater child internalizing symptoms at age 7 years ( ps <.001). There was no moderating effect of FAA on the association between maternal internalizing symptoms at age 5 years and child internalizing symptoms at age 7 years. Greater right frontal asymmetry may be a neurophysiological mechanism that mediates the intergenerational transmission of internalizing symptoms.

Prefrontal, Frontal, and Temporal Theta EEG Asymmetries and Self-Reports of Emotional Regulation.

Previous studies have shown thatright-sided frontal alpha asymmetry (fAA) is an electroencephalography (EEG) marker for negatively valenced emotions and a marker for negative self-perceptions of a person's psychosocial interactions. Alpha activity is affected by the changes in visual stimulation associated with eye-opening and eye-closing; theta activity is not so affected. Therefore, this analysis investigates the relationship between an individual's theta asymmetry and self-perceptions of their psychosocial interactions. We used quantitative electroencephalographic (qEEG) data from eight right-handed male medical students aged between 19 and 38 years, recorded under eyes-open (EO) and eyes-closed (EC) conditions. Significant correlations were found between self-reported measures of psychosocial interactions via the Interactive Self-Report Inventory (ISI). The main finding was that greater left-sided frontal temporal asymmetry (fTA) under both EO and EC conditions was associated with lower "regulated" ISI scores and lower "dependent" ISI scores. Greater left-sided temporal theta asymmetry (tTA), under EC conditions, was associated with higher "anxious" ISI scores. Greater left-sided prefrontal theta symmetry (pfTA), under EO conditions, was associated with lower "relaxed" ISI scores. These findings suggest that theta asymmetries in the frontal, prefrontal, and temporal cortices may be indicative of negative emotional states. The results of this study underscore the potential of pfTA, fTA, and tTA to be used as biomarkers for cognitive-emotional balance. The implications for mental health interventions, particularly personalized therapeutic approaches, are significant.

Frontal EEG alpha asymmetry predicts foreign language anxiety while speaking a foreign language

Engaging in dialog requires interlocutors to coordinate sending and receiving linguistic signals to build a discourse based upon interpretations and perceptions interconnected with a range of emotions. Conversing in a foreign language may induce emotions such as anxiety which influence the quality communication. The neural processes underpinning these interactions are crucial to understanding foreign language anxiety (FLA). Electroencephalography (EEG) studies reveal that anxiety is often displayed via hemispheric frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA). To examine the neural mechanisms underlying FLA, we collected self-reported data on the listening and speaking sections of the Second language skill specific anxiety scale (L2AS) over behavioral, cognitive, and somatic domains and recorded EEG signals during participation in word chain turn-taking activities in first (L1, Chinese) and second (L2, English) languages. Regression analysis showed FAA for the L2 condition was a significant predictor primarily of the behavioral and somatic domains on the L2AS speaking section. The results are discussed along with implications for improving communication during L2 interactions.

Comparing the effects of resistance and aerobic exercise on mood-related symptoms and EEG activity in young healthy adults: A non-randomized pilot study

Background and aimsExercise offers several benefits in combating mood-related symptoms in humans. Participation in various types of physical activity improves brain and mental health. However, the different effects and mechanisms depending on the type of exercise on an individual's mood and brain remain unclear. This pilot trial aimed to reveal the feasibility of the effects of resistance and aerobic exercise on mood-related symptoms and explain the different patterns of brain waves. MethodsThis 15-week single-arm pre-test/post-test trial including 3 measurement periods was held in Seoul, Republic of Korea. Overall, 18 healthy participants aged 19–29 years were recruited. After 6 weeks of respective aerobic and resistance exercise, anxiety/depression-related questionnaire scores and electroencephalography (EEG) changes were measured (single blinded outcome assessment). Specifically, changes in frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA), absolute band power of beta waves, and theta waves were measured in the prefrontal and frontal regions, which play a critical role in regulating mood and cognition. ResultsResistance exercise resulted in a significant reduction in Beck Depression Inventory-II scores (p = 0.002, effect size = 0.76) while significant improvement was shown in Beck Anxiety Inventory scores (p = 0.01, effect size = 0.77) after aerobic exercise. In regarding EEG analysis, ten participants completed the assessment. After resistance exercise, there was a significant elevation in frontal beta waves (p = 0.01, effect size = 0.81). Aerobic exercise did not result in significant EEG changes. There were no adverse events related to study participation. ConclusionOur findings suggest that resistance and aerobic exercises may be feasible for the alleviation of mood-related symptoms and EEG activities. As our pilot trial has a small sample size and did not include a control group, future research that accurately reflects the effects of different types of exercises on mood symptoms and changes of EEG activities is required.

The impact of subclinical psychotic symptoms on delay and effort discounting: Insights from behavioral, computational, and electrophysiological methods

BackgroundThe ability to value rewards is crucial for adaptive behavior and is influenced by the time and effort required to obtain them. Impairments in these computations have been observed in patients with schizophrenia and may be present in individuals with subclinical psychotic symptoms (PS). MethodsIn this study, we employed delay and effort-discounting tasks with food rewards in thirty-nine participants divided into high and low levels of PS. We investigated the underlying mechanisms of effort-discounting through computational modelling of dopamine prefrontal and subcortical circuits and the electrophysiological biomarker of both delay and effort-discounting alterations through resting-state frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA). ResultsResults revealed greater delay discounting in the High PS group compared to the Low PS group but no differences in the effort discounting task. However, in this task, the same levels of estimated dopamine release were associated with a lower willingness to exert effort for high-calorie food rewards in High PS participants compared to Low PS participants. Although there were no significant differences in FAA between the High PS and Low PS groups, FAA was significantly associated with the severity of participants' negative symptoms. ConclusionsOur study suggests that the dysfunction in temporal and effort cost computations, seen in patients with schizophrenia, may be present in individuals with subclinical PS. These findings provide valuable insight into the early vulnerability markers (behavioral, computational, and electrophysiological) for psychosis, which may aid in the development of preventive interventions. These findings are preliminary and warrant further investigation.

W21 - Concurrent and Prospective Relations Between Aberrant Stress-Induced Frontal Alpha Asymmetry and Cannabis Use Disorder

W21 - Concurrent and Prospective Relations Between Aberrant Stress-Induced Frontal Alpha Asymmetry and Cannabis Use Disorder

Evidence of bottom-up homeostatic modulation induced taVNS during emotional and Go/No-Go tasks.

Bilateral transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) - a non-invasive neuromodulation technique - has been investigated as a safe and feasible technique to treat many neuropsychiatric conditions. such as epilepsy, depression, anxiety, and chronic pain. Our aim is to investigate the effect of taVNS on neurophysiological processes during emotional and Go/No-Go tasks, and changes in frontal alpha asymmetry. We performed a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial with 44 healthy individuals who were allocated into two groups (the active taVNS group and the sham taVNS group). Subjects received one session of taVNS (active or sham) for 60min. QEEG was recorded before and after the interventions, and the subjects were assessed while exposed to emotional conditions with sad and happy facial expressions, followed by a Go/No-Go trial. The results demonstrated a significant increase in N2 amplitude in the No-Go condition for the active taVNS post-intervention compared to the sham taVNS after adjusting by handedness, mood, and fatigue levels (p = 0.046), significantly reduced ERD during sad conditions after treatment (p = 0.037), and increased frontal alpha asymmetry towards the right frontal hemisphere during the emotional task condition (p = 0.046). Finally, we observed an interesting neural signature in this study that suggests a bottom-up modulation from brainstem/subcortical to cortical areas as characterized by improved lateralization of alpha oscillations towards the frontal right hemisphere, and changes in ERP during emotional and Go/No-Go tasks that suggests a better subcortical response to the tasks. Such bottom-up effects may mediate some of the clinical effects of taVNS.

Biomarkers of attention bias during public speaking anxiety

The analysis of brain signals and their properties yields significant insights into the fundamental neural impairments associated with attention bias in individuals suffering from public speaking anxiety (PSA). This study aims to identify electroencephalogram (EEG) and performance biomarkers of attention bias in individuals with public speaking anxiety using the ex-Gaussian modeling technique, frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) and delta-beta correlation (DBC). 12 subjects with high (H) PSA and 12 subjects with low (L) PSA performed the modified emotional stroop task. EEG data were captured using the low-cost 14-channel emotiv Epoc+. Results showed that the ex-Gaussian sigma was higher in the emotional condition in the high public speaking anxiety (HPSA) group, indicating attention bias. The study also found higher right FAA in HPSA compared to LPSA group. There was a negative correlation between σ and alpha power in the left region of the brain in the HPSA group, potentially related to attentional bias. Moreover, there was a notable trend towards significantly heightened DBC in the frontal and central regions of the brain among HPSA subjects. In conclusion, in biomedical engineering, the ex-Gaussian model, FAA and DBC are useful because they can identify EEG and performance biomarkers of attention bias in people with PSA.

Robots as Mental Health Coaches: A Study of Emotional Responses to Technology-Assisted Stress Management Tasks Using Physiological Signals.

The current study investigated the effectiveness of social robots in facilitating stress management interventions for university students by evaluating their physiological responses. We collected electroencephalogram (EEG) brain activity and Galvanic Skin Responses (GSRs) together with self-reported questionnaires from two groups of students who practiced a deep breathing exercise either with a social robot or a laptop. From GSR signals, we obtained the change in participants' arousal level throughout the intervention, and from the EEG signals, we extracted the change in their emotional valence using the neurometric of Frontal Alpha Asymmetry (FAA). While subjective perceptions of stress and user experience did not differ significantly between the two groups, the physiological signals revealed differences in their emotional responses as evaluated by the arousal-valence model. The Laptop group tended to show a decrease in arousal level which, in some cases, was accompanied by negative valence indicative of boredom or lack of interest. On the other hand, the Robot group displayed two patterns; some demonstrated a decrease in arousal with positive valence indicative of calmness and relaxation, and others showed an increase in arousal together with positive valence interpreted as excitement. These findings provide interesting insights into the impact of social robots as mental well-being coaches on students' emotions particularly in the presence of the novelty effect. Additionally, they provide evidence for the efficacy of physiological signals as an objective and reliable measure of user experience in HRI settings.

Frontal alpha asymmetries and behavioral immune system: moderating role of behavioral inhibition system

Background and purpose: Behavioral immune system is a cluster of psychological mechanisms enabling detection and avoidance of pathogens in one’s immediate environment. Its presumed activation has been implicated in myriads of psychological phenomena, stemming from pathogen related disgust to more complex behaviors, such as mate choice and xenophobic cognitions. However, little is known about its biological underpinnings. The aim of this preliminary study was twofold: 1) to explore the role of another neuropsychological system governing avoidant motivations, the behavioral inhibition system, in pathogen-induced disgust and 2) to determine if frontal hemispheric asymmetries (a neural correlate of avoidant motivations) might serve as indicators of behavioral immune system activation. Materials and methods: 62 participants completed the Behavioral inhibition scale. Based on their z-scores, two extreme groups were formed: high (n=9) and low behavioral inhibition (n=9) group. After the baseline EEG recordings, participants were exposed to a set of neutral stimuli, followed by a set of pathogen disgust inducing stimuli. The frontal asymmetry (FAA) indexes (lnR-LnL) were calculated within both low (8-10 Hz) and high (11-13 Hz) alpha frequency bands on analogue pairs of frontal electrodes. Results: There were no baseline FAA differences between groups. However, compared to low behavioral inhibition group, high behavioral inhibition group showed larger shifts in FAA on frontopolar locations while watching the pathogen related disgust-inducing stimuli, as compared to neutral photographs. Conclusions: This pattern of FAA shifts suggests that high behavioral inhibition individuals attend to pathogen threat related cues more readily, i.e., have a more reactive behavioral immune system. With this preliminary study we are proposing a new line of research in order to determine if there is evidence of a calibrated response in terms of interplay between one’s immune status and pathogen treat related neural reactivity.

The relationship between frontal alpha asymmetry and behavioral and brain activity indices of reactive inhibitory control.

Reactive inhibitory control plays an important role in phenotype of different diseases/different phases of a disease. One candidate electrophysiological marker of inhibitory control is frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA). FAA reflects the relative difference in contralateral frontal brain activity. However, the relationship between FAA and potential behavioral/brain activity indices of reactive inhibitory control is not yet clear. We assessed the relationship between resting-state FAA and indicators of reactive inhibitory control. Additionally, we investigated the effect of modulation of FAA via transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). We implemented a randomized sham-controlled design with 65 healthy humans (Mage = 23.93, SDage = 6.08; 46 female). Before and after 2-mA anodal tDCS of the right frontal site (with the cathode at the contralateral site) for 20 min, we collected EEG data and reactive inhibitory performance in neutral and food-reward conditions, using the stop signal task (SST). There was no support for the effect of tDCS on FAA or any indices of reactive inhibitory control. Our correlation analysis revealed an association between inhibitory brain activity in the food-reward condition and (pre-tDCS) asymmetry. Higher right relative to left frontal brain activity was correlated with reduced early-onset inhibitory activity and, in contrast, linked with higher late-onset inhibitory control in the food-reward condition. Similarly, event-related potential analyses showed reduced early-onset and enhanced late-onset inhibitory brain activity over time, particularly in the food-reward condition. These results suggest that there can be a dissociation regarding the lateralization of frontal brain activity and early- and late-onset inhibitory brain activity.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This research reveals dissociation between baseline frontal alpha asymmetry and the timing of reactive inhibitory brain activities in food-reward contexts. Whereas inhibitory control performance decreases over time in a stop signal task, electrophysiological indices show reduced early- and heightened late-onset inhibitory brain activity, especially in the reward condition. Additionally, greater right frontal activity correlates with reduced early-onset and increased late-onset inhibitory brain activity.

The Effect of Long-Term Learning of BaduanJin on Emotion Regulation: Evidence from Resting-State Frontal EEG Asymmetry.

Baduanjin, as a Chinese traditional fitness exercise, can help people regulate emotions and promote their physical and psychological health. However, the underlying neural mechanisms have not been thoroughly explored. This study aimed to examine the effects of differences in the level of Baduanjin learning on individuals' brain and psychological response related to emotion regulation. Twenty-two participants with long-term Baduanjin learning (for more than one year), and 21 participants with short-term Baduanjin learning (for approximately three months) were recruited. All participants were asked to do a complete 12-minute set of Baduanjin. Before and after doing Baduanjin, their resting-state EEG signals were collected, besides, the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) and the Profile of Mood States-Short Form (POMS-SF) were used to assess participants' emotion regulation strategies and abilities. The results of psychological measurement indicated that participants in the long-term group were more likely to use cognitive reappraisal as an emotion regulation strategy compared to participants in the short-term group (p<0.05). Moreover, the analysis of the frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) showed that participants in the long-term group rather than the short-term group exhibited significant left lateralization after doing Baduanjin (p<0.05). The findings provide preliminary evidence for the neural mechanism underlying how long-term Baduanjin learning promotes individuals' emotion regulation indexed by FAA. The study provides a new paradigm for research on how Baduanjin affects emotional regulation.

Greater weekly physical activity linked to left resting frontal alpha asymmetry in women: A study on gender differences in highly active young adults

Physical activity, beneficial for physical and psychological health, may facilitate affective mechanisms of positive emotion and approach-motivation. Greater resting frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA), an index of greater relative left than right frontal cortical activity, is a neural correlate of affective mechanisms possibly associated with active lifestyles. This study sought to amplify limited literature on the relationship between physical (in)activity, FAA, and gender differences. College students (n = 70) self-reported physical activity (Total PA) and sedentary activity (Total Sitting) via the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF), followed by a resting electroencephalography session to record FAA. A Total PA × gender interaction (β = 0.462, t = 3.163, p = 0.002) identified a positive relationship between Total PA and FAA in women (β = 0.434, t = 2.221, p = 0.030) and a negative relationship for men (β = −0.338, t = −2.300, p = 0.025). Total Sitting was positively linked to FAA (β = 0.288, t = 2.228, p = 0.029; no gender effect). Results suggest affective mechanisms reflected by FAA (e.g., positive emotion, approach-motivation) are associated with physical activity for women, indicating a possible mechanism of the psychological benefits linked with physically active lifestyles. A positive relationship between sedentary behavior and greater left FAA may also reflect motivated mechanisms of behavior that aid in minimizing energy expenditure, particularly within the context of our highly active sample.

Temporal variation in children's reactions to tourism advertisement

This study adopts a neuroscientific approach to explore children's real-time emotional experiences in responses to tourism advertisements with different valences. Sixty children were exposed to three high-positive valence and three low-positive valence tourism advertisements while their brain waves were collected via an electroencephalogram (EEG). Dynamic emotional trajectories of frontal alpha asymmetry, a neural indicator representing a person's positive emotions, were extracted from EEG data using time-frequency analysis. Children's emotions on five key moments (i.e., peak, end, beginning, trough, and middle) were analyzed. Results show that the high-positive valence videos resulted in higher asymmetry scores in middle moments rather in other moments. Moreover, gender and age could partially moderate the impact of video valence on asymmetry scores in middle moments.