RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Models of time perception share an element of scalar expectancy theory known as the internal clock, containing specific mechanisms by which the brain is able to experience time passing and function effectively. A debate exists about whether to treat factors that influence these internal clock mechanisms (e.g., emotion, personality, executive functions, and related neurophysiological components) as arousal- or attentional-based factors. PURPOSE: This study investigated behavioral and neurophysiological responses to an affective time perception Go/NoGo task, taking into account the behavioral inhibition (BIS) and behavioral activation systems (BASs), which are components of reinforcement sensitivity theory. METHODS: After completion of self-report inventories assessing personality traits, electroencephalogram (EEG/ERP) and behavioral recordings of 32 women and 13 men recruited from introductory psychology classes were completed during an affective time perception Go/NoGo task. This task required participants to respond (Go) and inhibit (NoGo) to positive and negative affective visual stimuli of various durations in comparison to a standard duration. RESULTS: Higher BAS scores (especially BAS Drive) were associated with overestimation bias scores for positive stimuli, while BIS scores were not correlated with overestimation bias scores. Furthermore, higher BIS Total scores were associated with higher N2d amplitudes during positive stimulus presentation for 280 ms, while higher BAS Total scores were associated with higher N2d amplitudes during negative stimuli presentation for 910 ms. DISCUSSION: Findings are discussed in terms of arousal-based models of time perception, and suggestions for future research are considered.
RESUMO
Cardiovascular emotional dampening is the term used to describe the inverse relationship between resting blood pressure and emotional responsivity which extends from normotensive to hypertensive ranges. Little is known about its underlying physiological mechanisms, but it is thought to involve some disruption in emotion processing. One area that has yet to be explored in the literature is the relationship between emotional dampening and frontal asymmetry, a psychophysiological indicator for motivational direction and emotional valence bias. The present study explored that relationship using data from a sample of 48 healthy college students. Measures of baseline resting blood pressure and frontal cortical activity were recorded, after which participants completed a series of emotion-related tasks. Results revealed a significant relationship between resting systolic blood pressure and left frontal activity. Likewise, left frontal activity was associated with neutral appraisal of emotionally valenced stimuli within the tasks. The findings from the present study yield support for a link between emotional dampening and left frontal activity. Implications are discussed.