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Emotional targets: Evaluative categorization as a function of context and content
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Emotional targets: Evaluative categorization as a function of context and content

Anna Weinberg, Joseph Hilgard, Bruce D. Bartholow and Greg Hajcak
International journal of psychophysiology, Vol.84(2), pp.149-154
05/01/2012
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2012.01.023
PMID: 22342564

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Abstract

Event-related potential (ERP) studies of early evaluative categorization have often used variants of an oddball paradigm to assess attention to target stimuli as a function of content (i.e., valence) and context (e.g., presentation among non-targets differing in valence). However, most previous studies have not fully crossed content and context, and have not examined the time-course of these effects. The purpose of the current study was to investigate these two issues in an effort to further clarify the nature of evaluative categorization as reflected in the late positive potential (LPP). Pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant images served as both targets and non-targets in an emotional oddball task. Results indicate additive effects of emotional content and target status on the early portion of the LPP; however, the LPP did not differ between pleasant and unpleasant stimuli. Only target status modulated the later portion of the LPP, suggesting different contributions of cognitive–affective processes over time during evaluative categorization. ► Uses a modified oddball design typical of the negativity bias literature. ► Improves upon previous designs by fully crossing target status and valence. ► Finds additive and independent effects of emotional content and target status. ► Late LPP specifically sensitive to target status; effect of valence is reduced. ► No evidence for a negativity bias in early evaluative categorization.
 Emotion Late positive potential LPP Negativity bias

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