Social learning modulates the lateralization of emotional valence.

Full Abstract

Although neuropsychological studies of lateralization of emotion have emphasized valence (positive vs. negative) or type (basic vs. complex) dimensions, the interaction between the two dimensions has yet to be elucidated. The purpose of the current study was to test the hypothesis that recognition of basic emotions is processed preferentially by the right prefrontal cortex (PFC), whereas recognition of complex social emotions is processed preferentially by the left PFC. Experiment 1 assessed the ability of healthy controls and patients with right and left PFC lesions to recognize basic and complex emotions. Experiment 2 modeled the patient's data of Experiment 1 on healthy participants under lateralized displays of the emotional stimuli. Both experiments support the Type as well as the Valence Hypotheses. However, our findings indicate that the Valence Hypothesis holds for basic but less so for complex emotions. It is suggested that, since social learning overrules the basic preference of valence in the hemispheres, the processing of complex emotions in the hemispheres is less affected by valence.

Author information

Author/s: Shamay-Tsoory, Simone G (SG); Lavidor, Michal (M); Aharon-Peretz, Judith (J);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology and Brain & Behavior Center, University of Haifa, Aba Hushi, Haifa 31905, Israel. sshamay(-atsign-)psy.haifa.ac.il

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Brain and cognition (Brain Cogn), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-Aug; vol 67 (issue 3) : pp 280-91

Dates: Created 2008/06/30; Completed 2008/07/28;

PMID: 18343548, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

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