The effect of personal relevance and approach-related action expectation on relative left frontal cortical activity.

Full Abstract

Past research using a variety of methods has suggested that the frontal cortex is asymmetrically involved in the experience and expression of positive (or approach motivational) and negative (or withdrawal motivational) affects, with the left frontal region being involved in positive affects (or approach) and the right frontal region being involved in negative affects (or withdrawal). However, some studies have failed to replicate these effects, leaving many scientists questioning the meaning of the past supportive findings. To examine these inconsistencies in results, we tested the hypothesis that increasing the personal relevance of the stimuli and approach motivational intensity would increase relative left frontal activation. Results supported the predictions. Moreover, by showing the predicted effects with anger-inducing stimuli, the results demonstrated that motivational direction, rather than affective valence, accounts for asymmetrical frontal cortical activity.

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Author information

Author/s: Harmon-Jones, Eddie (E); Lueck, Lacey (L); Fearn, Meghan (M); Harmon-Jones, Cindy (C);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, Texas A&M University, TAMU, College Station, 77843, USA. eddiehj(-atsign-)gmail.com

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Journal: Psychological science : a journal of the American Psychological Society / APS (Psychol Sci), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-May; vol 17 (issue 5) : pp 434-40

Dates: Created 2006/05/10; Completed 2006/06/28; Revised 2007/02/28;

PMID: 16683932, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

Comments and Corrections

CommentIn: Psychol Sci. 2006 Nov;17(11):963-5. (PMID: 17176428)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Cognition - physiology
Decision Making
Electroencephalography
Frontal Lobe - physiology

Frontal Lobe - physiology
Functional Laterality - physiology
Humans
Motivation

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