EEG correlates of emotional tasks related to attentional demands

This research brings together two separate areas: (1) that of EEG processes associated with positive and negatively valenced emotional material; and (2) that of traditional psychophysiological research related to the “intake” and “rejection” of environmental stimuli. Forty males on each of two days were presented with tasks reflecting both attentional demands and affectual processing. Heart rate and bilateral EEG measures from frontal, parietal and temporal sites were recorded. Using a FFT (fast Fourier transform) electrocortical activity in the 2–7 Hz, 8–15 Hz, and 16–24 Hz was determined and analyzed. The results suggest emotional valence (i.e. positive and negative) and attentional demands (i.e. intake vs rejection) are differentially represented in terms of EEG functioning. An interaction of attentional demand with hemisphere was found for EEG alpha activity in the temporal and parietal areas. For emotional valence there was a significant main effect for EEG beta activity in both the temporal and parietal areas. Differential hemispheric activity was found using a factor analytic technique (PARAFAC) with positively valenced tasks being associated with right temporal beta. Heart rate changes for the attentional dimension were consistent with previous research.