Psychophysiological Arousal Research Articles

Improving the diagnostics of the impact of domestic violence in children with the use of semi-structured interview

The authors propose a semi-structured interview to identify the effects of domestic violence in children. The interview includes a list of questions aimed at identifying possible cases of domestic violence, signs of emotional problems, impaired behavior and attention, preneurotic, autonomic and somatic disorders, typical situations of their occurrence in children, as well as family and interpersonal contexts. Observing behaviors and non-verbal manifestations during the interview that accompanies the respondent's answers allow us to identify not only the clear signs of the problem, but also to recognize the hidden, non-verbal manifestations to better understand the nature of the problem in children. Quantitative and qualitative analysis confirmed the diagnostic value of the proposed interview. The group of children affected by domestic violence found a much higher prevalence of emotional problems (depression, anxiety, emotional lability, heightened emotional sensitivity), behavioral disorders (aggressiveness, passivity, excessive obedience), sleep disorders and fears, vegetodistonic and somatic problems. Children were significantly more likely to show signs of psycho-physiological arousal (tears, tremors, agitation, paleness of palms, sudden paleness of redness, etc.) during the interview, indicating high emotional tension and sensitivity to topics related to the situation in the family in general and domestic violence in particular. Revealing the effects of psychological trauma through interviewing is an important task and competence of psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers during medical and psychological examination, as well as the psychosocial support of children affected by domestic violence.

Discarding personal possessions increases psychophysiological activation in patients with hoarding disorder

Difficulty discarding is the core behavioral symptom of hoarding disorder (HD). Patients with HD report greater subjective distress when discarding their own possessions as compared to others’ possessions. To date, no prior studies have examined psychophysiological activation, an objective measure of anxious arousal, during discarding among individuals with HD. The current study assessed psychophysiological responses during a baseline resting period and two discarding tasks, one involving personal possessions and the other involving matched control (“experimenter-owned”) items in 52 patients with a primary diagnosis of HD. Results showed that, compared to discarding control items, discarding personal possessions increased skin conductance and heart rate and decreased end tidal carbon dioxide. There were no differences in heart rate variability, respiratory sinus arrhythmia, and respiration rate between the two discarding tasks. Despite the fact that discarding increased psychophysiological arousal, self-reported HD symptoms (including difficulty discarding) failed to predict psychophysiological responses during the discarding tasks. The findings suggest that there may be discordance between objective and subjective measures of hoarding-related distress, and are discussed in terms of incorporating psychophysiological measures into the assessment and treatment of HD.

Concurrent Assessment of Penile Blood Flow and Circumference as Indicators of Male Sexual Arousal

IntroductionThe current study aims to validate a new imaging tool to assess men’s sexual psychophysiological responding: laser Doppler imaging (LDI), which directly measures subcutaneous genital blood flow. In this study, we concurrently assessed genital sexual arousal in a sample of men using the LDI and the current gold standard of male sexual psychophysiology, the penile strain gauge (PSG). AimTo (i) assess the validity of the LDI as a measure of male sexual arousal, (ii) evaluate the relationship between the LDI and PSG, and (iii) compare sexual concordance produced by the LDI and PSG. MethodsA total of 25 male participants (Mage = 24.28 years, SD = 6.10, range 18–37) watched 4 experimental films (ie, anxiety-provoking, humorous, erotic, neutral nature content) while their sexual arousal was assessed. Genital sexual arousal was assessed using the LDI (blood perfusion) and PSG (penile tumescence) concurrently. Subjective sexual arousal was assessed using continuous and discrete self-reported measures. Main Outcome MeasureResults demonstrate the validity of the LDI as an imaging-based measure of male genital arousal, and one that is comparable to the PSG. ResultsSignificant increases in genital blood flow assessed via the LDI were observed for erotic, but not anxiety-provoking, humorous, or neutral films (F[1.65, 39.57] = 18.23, P < .001, ηp2 = .43). A moderate, positive correlation between genital arousal measured via the LDI and PSG concurrently was observed (r = .40), despite considerable across-participant variability. In the current sample, the LDI and PSG both produced strong sexual concordance estimates (r = .51 and r = .46, respectively). When all LDI and PSG concordance estimates were correlated, a moderate relationship was revealed (r = .37). Clinical ImplicationsAs a new imaging tool for male sexual psychophysiological arousal, the LDI holds promise for improving our understanding of issues related to men’s sexual health. Strength & LimitationsMovement artifacts produced by penile engorgement were a limitation to the LDI as an imaging technique. Further, the LDI used in the current study was a discrete measure of arousal, whereas the PSG was continuous; future research would benefit by using continuous measurement capabilities of contemporary LDI systems. ConclusionAs a valid measure of genital sexual arousal in men, the LDI holds promise as a tool that can be used to explore more nuanced questions about human sexuality, including cross-gender comparisons and real-time exploration of genital arousal patterns.Bossio JA, Singh M, Pukall CF. Concurrent assessment of penile blood flow and circumference as indicators of male sexual arousal. J Sex Med 2018;15:1570–1578.

Psychophysiological Arousal and Perceived Support during Couple Support Interactions: The Role of Attachment Anxiety and Avoidance

Couple support processes—typically occurring in the context of non-relationship distressing issues—are crucial to our understanding of relationships (Pasch, Bradbury, & Sullivan, 1997). These couple support processes influence important relationship outcomes, including relationship satisfaction and longevity (i.e., Collins & Feeney, 2010). In this study, we examined 51 couples’ support perceptions and physiological arousal during individually distressing support conversations. Using dyadic data analysis, results reveal important findings in terms of avoidant attachment and couple support perceptions. Additionally, significant results were found between attachment anxiety and psychophysiological arousal. Implications of the current findings for couple relationships and therapy are discussed.

Combined transcranial direct current stimulation with virtual reality exposure for posttraumatic stress disorder: Feasibility and pilot results

BackgroundFacilitating neural activity using non-invasive brain stimulation may improve extinction-based treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Objective/hypothesisHere, we examined the feasibility of simultaneous transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) application during virtual reality (VR) to reduce psychophysiological arousal and symptoms in Veterans with PTSD. MethodsTwelve Veterans with PTSD received six combat-related VR exposure sessions during sham-controlled tDCS targeting ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Primary outcome measures were changes in skin conductance-based arousal and self-reported PTSD symptom severity. ResultstDCS + VR components were combined without technical difficulty. We observed a significant interaction between reduction in arousal across sessions and tDCS group (p = .03), indicating that the decrease in physiological arousal was greater in the tDCS + VR versus sham group. We additionally observed a clinically meaningful reduction in PTSD symptom severity. ConclusionsThis study demonstrates feasibility of applying tDCS during VR. Preliminary data suggest a reduction in psychophysiological arousal and PTSD symptomatology, supporting future studies.

Psychophysiological reactivity, coping behaviour and intrusive memories upon multisensory Virtual Reality and Script-Driven Imagery analogue trauma: A randomised controlled crossover study

BackgroundPeri- and post-traumatic factors predict the differential development of stress-associated mental disorders. Prospective designs assessing these risk factors in real-time under controlled experimental conditions can overcome limitations of retrospective designs. Therefore, we aimed to investigate multi-sensory, experimental analogues of a traumatic experience delivered in Virtual Reality (VR) or Script-Driven Imagery (SDI). MethodsIn a randomised controlled crossover design, differences in the induced analogue trauma symptoms between multi-sensory analogue trauma by either VR or SDI versus a neutral condition were assessed in 127 non-clinical participants. ResultsAnalogue symptoms (psychophysiological responses, coping behaviour and intrusive memories of the experimental trauma) increased following analogue trauma in both VR and SDI, with more analogue symptoms for VR. Psychophysiological arousal was in general higher in VR. LimitationsThe analogue trauma situation of a car park fire that was used may be infrequent in real life. ConclusionsMultisensory (vision, olfaction, hearing) analogue trauma in VR and SDI offers a useful tool for the induction and real-time assessment of peri- and post-traumatic risk factors for analogue stress-associated psychopathology. VR was more effective in inducing analogue symptoms than SDI, even though the latter might be more personalised. New experimental models for studying trauma exposure and responses may contribute to a better understanding of risk factors and help to identify and protect individuals at risk.

Psychophysiological Arousal While Discussing Romantic Challenges with Partners and Friends

In this exploratory study, we examined psychophysiological arousal when partners engaged in the common practice of discussing romantic trials with one another and with friends. To capture stress, we measured Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), Heart Rate Variability (HRV), and Respiration Rate (RSP). Paired t-tests from a dyadic sample of 71 heterosexual couples revealed talking about romantic problems, in general, was accompanied by elevated psychophysiological stress. GSR scores suggested partners were more stressed when speaking with friends than to one another about relationship challenges. Universally, males had higher GSR scores and females higher RSP. We discuss therapeutic implications and future directions.

Negative urgency moderates reactivity to laboratory stress inductions.

Impulsive personality traits refer to a group of self-reported dispositions about self-regulatory capacity, several of which have been linked to diverse forms of psychopathology. One of these is negative urgency (NUR), the propensity to act out when experiencing negative emotions, which has been linked to substance use disorders and eating disorders. However, few laboratory studies have investigated the extent to which self-reported NUR relates to an individual's in vivo emotional and behavioral responses. Harmonizing two archival data sets on alcohol and high-energy-dense (HED) food motivation, the current study investigated NUR as a moderator of reactivity to stressful situations elicited by two commonly used stress manipulations, the Trier Social Stress Test and a stress imagery induction. A sample of 148 adults was assessed for NUR, severity of alcohol misuse or binge eating, and measures of negative affect and psychophysiological arousal (i.e., heart rate and blood pressure) prior to and following one of the two manipulations. In addition, a behavioral multiple-choice procedure assessing the relative reinforcing value of alcohol or HED foods followed the manipulations. As predicted, NUR positively moderated the effects of stress induction on self-reported negative affect and relative reinforcing value, although not arousal. Individuals exhibiting elevated NUR also exhibited greater alcohol misuse, although not greater binge eating severity. These findings provide in vivo validation of the construct of NUR and its measurement using the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale. More broadly, these findings inform the understanding of deficits that are characteristic of self-regulatory disorders. (PsycINFO Database Record

Dynamic psychophysiological correlates of a learning from text episode in relation to reading goals

This study aimed to investigate undergraduates' cardiac activity during an episode of complex learning from text. Specifically, we examined (a) heart rate (HR) and (b) heart rate variability (HRV) as psychophysiological measures while students read a science text and were tested on it. Reading goals were also taken into account: Students were asked to read for themselves to know more on a topic, or to read to perform well to gain course credit. Undergraduates (N = 50) were randomly assigned to one of the two reading goal conditions. Their HR and HRV were registered at baseline, while reading the text, during the testing phase, and while recovering from the task. Findings confirmed that in the condition with the reading goal focused on good performance, the students comprehended the text better than the students who read for themselves. Two mixed-effects models examined HR and HRV trends during the four phases of the learning episode. Findings showed a general trend in which students’ HRV was greater in the reading phase compared to baseline. HR decreased during reading and increased during the testing phase. This pattern indicates a deep cognitive effort of students while reading that gave way to higher psychophysiological arousal in the testing phase. Moreover, a series of linear regression models revealed that being under aroused and in a state of receptive calm during the reading phase allowed greater performance. Educational implications are drawn.

Interactions Between Threat and Executive Control in a Virtual Reality Stroop Task

Understanding the ways in which persons rapidly transfer attention between tasks while still retaining ability to perform these tasks is an important area of study. Everyday activities commonly come in the form of emotional distractors. A recently developed Virtual Reality Stroop Task (VRST) allows for assessing neurocognitive and psychophysiological responding while traveling through simulated safe and ambush desert environments as Stroop stimuli appear on the windshield. We evaluated differences in psychophysiological response patterns associated with completion of an affective task alone versus completion of an affective task that also included a Stroop task. The VRST elicited increased heart rate, respiration rate, skin conductance level, and number of spontaneous fluctuations in electrodermal activity. Increased cognitive workload was found to be associated with the more cognitively challenging Stroop conditions which led to an increase in response level. This expands on previous findings and indicates that allocating attention away from the environment and toward Stroop stimuli likely requires greater inhibitory control. This is corroborated by behavioral findings from previous investigations with the VRST. The VRST revealed that the increased difficulty found in tasks like the Stroop interference task directly evoke autonomic changes in psychophysiological arousal beyond the threatening stimuli themselves.

Representative Training with Less Risk: The Effects of Non-lethal Training and Conventional Ammunition in Police Use of Force Training on Heart Rate Variability

Abstract With the goal of preventing unintentional fire-arm death and injury as well as widening the scope of police use of force training design, this study compared the impact of non-lethal training (NLT) ammunition and conventional ammunition (CA) on police officers’ psychophysiological arousal. We assessed heart rate and parasympathetic activity while police officers engaged in a demanding fighting and shooting exercise. Based on previous research, which shows that physiological arousal in representative scenario exercises does not differ from active duty operations, this study tested and corroborated the hypothesis that simulated psychophysiological demand will be the same in using both NLT and CA. Thus, the use of NLT ammunition provides a safe alternative to training the use of issue weapons with CA, equally as representative of the active duty environment of the real world. Furthermore, this study underlines that fighting elicits high levels of physiological load that police officers need to be prepared for.

Psychophysiological Reactivity in Couples During a Marital Interaction Task.

The ability to regulate our own physiological arousal when dealing with the emotional expression of our partner is crucial for satisfactory and stable intimate relationships. In previous physiological studies of marital interactions, researchers have found greater levels of psychophysiological arousal for members of the couple in conflictual interactions in comparison with positive interactions. Past researchers have established that intense and prolonged autonomic and neuroendocrine arousal during marital conflict can have negative consequences for mental and physical health. In this study we examined the physiological reactivity, as measured by skin conductance level, heart rate and cortisol levels, from both partners during a couple's interaction task consisting of a structured conversation about positive and negative aspects of their relationship. Participants were thirty-two heterosexual couples (N = 64) in a committed monogamous relationship with a minimum duration of one year. We found higher heart rate and cortisol levels during negative interaction condition when compared with the positive condition. Skin conductance was higher in the positive interaction condition, when compared with the negative interaction condition. In addition, we found a significant negative association between heart rate variability and autonomic arousal evoked by the interaction task. The implications of these findings for the effects of marital strain on health as well as for the design of risk-reducing interventions, namely biofeedback are discussed.

Psychophysiological Assessment in Pilots Performing Challenging Simulated and Real Flight Maneuvers.

The objective assessment of psychophysiological arousal during challenging flight maneuvers is of great interest to aerospace medicine, but remains a challenging task. In the study presented here, a vector-methodological approach was used which integrates different psychophysiological variables, yielding an integral arousal index called the Psychophysiological Arousal Value (PAV). The arousal levels of 15 male pilots were assessed during predetermined, well-defined flight maneuvers performed under simulated and real flight conditions. The physiological data, as expected, revealed inter- and intra-individual differences for the various measurement conditions. As indicated by the PAV, air-to-air refueling (AAR) turned out to be the most challenging task. In general, arousal levels were comparable between simulator and real flight conditions. However, a distinct difference was observed when the pilots were divided by instructors into two groups based on their proficiency in AAR with AWACS (AAR-Novices vs. AAR-Professionals). AAR-Novices had on average more than 2000 flight hours on other aircrafts. They showed higher arousal reactions to AAR in real flight (contact: PAV score 8.4 ± 0.37) than under simulator conditions (7.1 ± 0.30), whereas AAR-Professionals did not (8.5 ± 0.46 vs. 8.8 ± 0.80). The psychophysiological arousal value assessment was tested in field measurements, yielding quantifiable arousal differences between proficiency groups of pilots during simulated and real flight conditions. The method used in this study allows an evaluation of the psychophysiological cost during a certain flying performance and thus is possibly a valuable tool for objectively evaluating the actual skill status of pilots.Johannes B, Rothe S, Gens A, Westphal S, Birkenfeld K, Mulder E, Rittweger J, Ledderhos C. Psychophysiological assessment in pilots performing challenging simulated and real flight maneuvers. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(9):834-840.

Psychophysiological arousal in different gambling phases in youngs and adolescents

Nowadays, gambling is increasing as a more frequent problem among the young people. In order to shed light about the physiological correlates of the three phases that were identified in the roulette gambling game (phase of betting, phase of watching the rotation of the roulette and phase of watching the final result), 24 participants, with no pathological gambling problems, participated in three attempts of this game. Heart rate, skin conductance level and skin conductance response were recorded. The results showed that betting phase is the phase where highest arousal is experienced by the participants, followed by the phase of watching the rotation of the roulette. Likewise, it was verified that not getting the prize provokes a quick habituation that is evidenced in the decrease of the arousal in the second phase. Finally, clinical implications of the results are discussed.

Skin Conductance Reactivity to Standardized Virtual Reality Combat Scenes in Veterans with PTSD.

Interest in virtual reality (VR) as a clinical tool to augment posttraumatic stress (PTSD) treatment has grown substantially in recent years due to advances in VR technology. Moreover, its potential assisted use in the PTSD diagnostic process has been recognized. In this study we examined physiological responding, skin conductance, to a standardized presentation of non-personalized combat-related VR events (e.g. encountering enemy fire; explosions) as compared to non-combat classroom VR events in 19 Veterans with and 24 Veterans without combat-related PTSD who had been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Veterans watched a total of 12 VR scenarios-six combat-related and six non-combat-related-with each scenario gradually increasing in emotional intensity by adding more VR events in addition to repeating prior VR events. Results show that Veterans with PTSD displayed larger skin conductance reactivity across VR combat events, but not for non-combat VR events, as compared to combat Veterans without PTSD. Nevertheless, Veterans with and without PTSD showed a similar reduction of emotional arousal to repeated presentation of the same VR combat events. Within the PTSD sample, the elevated level of VR combat-related arousal correlated marginally with severity of hyperarousal symptoms. This study confirms that the use of a non-personalized and standardized VR presentation successfully distinguishes Veterans with PTSD from those without on a measure of psychophysiological arousal to combat-related VR stimuli. The assessment of physiological reactivity during the repeated presentation of standardized, trauma-related VR events highlights its use for PTSD assessment as well as treatment.

Relaxation with Immersive Natural Scenes Presented Using Virtual Reality.

Virtual reality (VR) can provide exposure to nature for those living in isolated confined environments. We evaluated VR-presented natural settings for reducing stress and improving mood. There were 18 participants (9 men, 9 women), ages 32 ± 12 yr, who viewed three 15-min 360° scenes (an indoor control, rural Ireland, and remote beaches). Subjects were mentally stressed with arithmetic before scenes. Electrodermal activity (EDA) and heart rate variability measured psycho-physiological arousal. The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule and the 15-question Modified Reality Judgment and Presence Questionnaire (MRJPQ) measured mood and scene quality. Reductions in EDA from baseline were greater at the end of the natural scenes compared to the control scene (-0.59, -0.52, and 0.32 μS, respectively). The natural scenes reduced negative affect from baseline ( 1.2 and 1.1 points), but the control scene did not ( 0.4 points). MRJPQ scores for the control scene were lower than both natural scenes (4.9, 6.7, and 6.5 points, respectively). Within the two natural scenes, the preferred scene reduced negative affect ( 2.4 points) more than the second choice scene ( 1.8 points) and scored higher on the MRJPQ (6.8 vs. 6.4 points). Natural scene VR provided relaxation both objectively and subjectively, and scene preference had a significant effect on mood and perception of scene quality. VR may enable relaxation for people living in isolated confined environments, particularly when matched to personal preferences.Anderson AP, Mayer MD, Fellows AM, Cowan DR, Hegel MT, Buckey JC. Relaxation with immersive natural scenes presented using virtual reality. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(6):520526.

The Systemic Interaction of Attachment on Psychophysiological Arousal in Couple Conflict.

Attachment in adult romantic relationships has long been linked to conflict styles. Psychophysiological measures have provided additional insight into this association by accessing less conscious and controlled responses to conflict. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and the interaction between attachment styles on skin conductance responses during conflict and recovery from conflict. Using dyadic analysis of 50 heterosexual couples, we found evidence of a systemic effect of attachment, where psychophysiological arousal increased when one partner had higher levels of attachment anxiety and the other partner had higher levels of attachment avoidance. Attachment avoidance was also negatively associated with increased levels of arousal. Relationship and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

Two types of peak emotional responses to music: The psychophysiology of chills and tears

People sometimes experience a strong emotional response to artworks. Previous studies have demonstrated that the peak emotional experience of chills (goose bumps or shivers) when listening to music involves psychophysiological arousal and a rewarding effect. However, many aspects of peak emotion are still not understood. The current research takes a new perspective of peak emotional response of tears (weeping, lump in the throat). A psychophysiological experiment showed that self-reported chills increased electrodermal activity and subjective arousal whereas tears produced slow respiration during heartbeat acceleration, although both chills and tears induced pleasure and deep breathing. A song that induced chills was perceived as being both happy and sad whereas a song that induced tears was perceived as sad. A tear-eliciting song was perceived as calmer than a chill-eliciting song. These results show that tears involve pleasure from sadness and that they are psychophysiologically calming; thus, psychophysiological responses permit the distinction between chills and tears. Because tears may have a cathartic effect, the functional significance of chills and tears seems to be different. We believe that the distinction of two types of peak emotions is theoretically relevant and further study of tears would contribute to more understanding of human peak emotional response.

Feedback from the heart: Emotional learning and memory is controlled by cardiac cycle, interoceptive accuracy and personality

Feedback processing is critical to trial-and-error learning. Here, we examined whether interoceptive signals concerning the state of cardiovascular arousal influence the processing of reinforcing feedback during the learning of ‘emotional’ face-name pairs, with subsequent effects on retrieval. Participants (N=29) engaged in a learning task of face-name pairs (fearful, neutral, happy faces). Correct and incorrect learning decisions were reinforced by auditory feedback, which was delivered either at cardiac systole (on the heartbeat, when baroreceptors signal the contraction of the heart to the brain), or at diastole (between heartbeats during baroreceptor quiescence). We discovered a cardiac influence on feedback processing that enhanced the learning of fearful faces in people with heightened interoceptive ability. Individuals with enhanced accuracy on a heartbeat counting task learned fearful face-name pairs better when feedback was given at systole than at diastole. This effect was not present for neutral and happy faces. At retrieval, we also observed related effects of personality: First, individuals scoring higher for extraversion showed poorer retrieval accuracy. These individuals additionally manifested lower resting heart rate and lower state anxiety, suggesting that attenuated levels of cardiovascular arousal in extraverts underlies poorer performance. Second, higher extraversion scores predicted higher emotional intensity ratings of fearful faces reinforced at systole. Third, individuals scoring higher for neuroticism showed higher retrieval confidence for fearful faces reinforced at diastole. Our results show that cardiac signals shape feedback processing to influence learning of fearful faces, an effect underpinned by personality differences linked to psychophysiological arousal.

공익캠페인의 정서성, 자아관련성, 시각적 주의가 캠페인 태도에 미치는 영향: 디지털 뇌파(EEG) 기반 각성의 조절된 매개효과

본 연구는 조건과정모델링에 기초하여 공익광고캠페인의 정서성과 이슈에 대한 수용적 태도의 관계에서 시각적 주의와 지각된 자아관련성의 매개효과와 매개변인에 대한 EEG 각성의 조절효과를 알아보고자 했다. 이를 위해 SPSS 22.0의 Multiple Mediation 절차와 SPSS Macro(14번)를 이용하여 조절된 매개효과를 분석하였다. 본 연구결과는 첫째, 공익캠페인의 정서성은 지각된 자아관련성을 매개로 이슈에 대한 수용적 태도에 유의미한 영향을 보였다. 둘째, EEG 각성은 시각적 주의 및 지각된 자아관련성과 유의미한 상호작용효과를 나타냈다. 셋째, 정서성과 수용적 태도의 관계에서 지각된 자아관련성의 매개효과는 EEG 각성에 의해 조절되는 효과를 보였다. 본 연구결과는 공익캠페인의 부정소구보다는 긍정소구에서만 유효하였다. 이러한 결과를 바탕으로 공익광고캠페인의 정서소구를 활용하기 위해서는 공익캠페인에 대한 소비자의 지각된 자아관련성과 주의를 전략적으로 결합할 수 있음을 확인하였다. This study examined the conditional indirect effect of EEG (electroencephalogram) arousal on the relationship among affective valence, visual attention, perceived self-relevance, and attitudes toward campaign issues in the context of public service announcements (PSAs). Using SPSS macro (No. 14) of conditional process model, the findings in this current study indicated that the perceived self-relevance mediates the relationship between affective valence of PSA and attitudes toward issues and, in turn, is moderated by EEG arousal, indicating goodness-of-fit of the moderated mediation of psychophysiological arousal on PSAs. The results suggested that management of PSAs should be considered the strategic combination between affective valence and perceived self-relevance in advertising appeals.