The influence of concreteness on emotional nouns valence processing: An ERP study

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1041.2022.00111

Abstract

Abstract:

Concreteness and abstractness are the poles of the same characteristic of the lexicon, and they are important factors that directly affect word processing. In this study, we employed the rapid serial visual presentation paradigm and EEG technology to explore the influence of concreteness on the emotional nouns processing within limited attention resources. The results showed that ERP components in the early and late stages of noun processing were modulated by valence, and emotional nouns elicited larger N170 and LPC amplitudes than neutral nouns. In addition, ERP components in the early and late stages of noun processing were modulated by concreteness, and concrete nouns elicited larger N170 and LPC amplitudes than abstract nouns. Concreteness affected the late stage of emotional noun processing. LPC amplitude distinguished abstract words with different emotional valence, while it only differentiated emotional concrete nouns from non-emotional concrete nouns, which indicated that abstract nouns may carry more emotional information than concrete nouns, reflecting elaborate emotion processing.

Key words: emotional nouns, concreteness, RSVP, event-related potential

LUO Wenbo, QI Zhengyang. (2022). The influence of concreteness on emotional nouns valence processing: An ERP study. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 54(2), 111-121.

Figures/Tables 7

References 55

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Variable	Concrete nouns			Abstract nouns
Variable	Positive(M ± SD)	Neutral(M ± SD)	Negative(M ± SD)	Positive(M ± SD)	Neutral(M ± SD)	Negative(M ± SD)
Arousal	4.90 ± 0.45	4.56 ± 0.81	5.05 ± 0.57	5.07 ± 0.28	5.04 ± 0.81	5.36 ± 0.40
Valence	6.82 ± 0.38	5.21 ± 0.50	2.70 ± 0.38	6.81 ± 0.18	5.36 ± 0.31	2.99 ± 0.28
Concreteness	4.12 ± 0.16	4.11 ± 0.41	4.19 ± 0.15	2.56 ± 0.09	2.62 ± 0.11	2.51 ± 0.21
Number of strokes (total)	19.67 ± 2.07	19.17 ± 3.92	18.33 ± 2.34	20.33 ± 3.83	18.83 ± 1.33	19.67 ± 3.93
Number of strokes (1st character)	10.67 ± 2.58	10.83 ± 4.75	8.50 ± 3.33	8.00 ± 2.19	8.67 ± 3.20	9.83 ± 2.93
Number of strokes (2nd character)	9.00 ± 2.97	8.33 ± 4.97	9.83 ± 3.06	12.33 ± 3.01	10.17 ± 2.32	9.83 ± 2.64
Log frequency (total)	3.89 ± 0.52	3.54 ± 0.71	3.96 ± 0.39	3.79 ± 0.59	4.23 ± 0.25	3.92 ± 0.29
Log frequency (1st character)	7.80 ± 1.18	5.90 ± 1.76	6.72 ± 2.01	7.48 ± 1.27	7.71 ± 1.90	5.47 ± 0.86
Log frequency (2nd character)	6.85 ± 2.63	7.53 ± 1.22	6.31 ± 1.50	6.79 ± 1.55	7.14 ± 1.45	6.25 ± 0.88

Variable	Concrete nouns			Abstract nouns
Variable	Positive(M ± SD)	Neutral(M ± SD)	Negative(M ± SD)	Positive(M ± SD)	Neutral(M ± SD)	Negative(M ± SD)
Arousal	4.90 ± 0.45	4.56 ± 0.81	5.05 ± 0.57	5.07 ± 0.28	5.04 ± 0.81	5.36 ± 0.40
Valence	6.82 ± 0.38	5.21 ± 0.50	2.70 ± 0.38	6.81 ± 0.18	5.36 ± 0.31	2.99 ± 0.28
Concreteness	4.12 ± 0.16	4.11 ± 0.41	4.19 ± 0.15	2.56 ± 0.09	2.62 ± 0.11	2.51 ± 0.21
Number of strokes (total)	19.67 ± 2.07	19.17 ± 3.92	18.33 ± 2.34	20.33 ± 3.83	18.83 ± 1.33	19.67 ± 3.93
Number of strokes (1st character)	10.67 ± 2.58	10.83 ± 4.75	8.50 ± 3.33	8.00 ± 2.19	8.67 ± 3.20	9.83 ± 2.93
Number of strokes (2nd character)	9.00 ± 2.97	8.33 ± 4.97	9.83 ± 3.06	12.33 ± 3.01	10.17 ± 2.32	9.83 ± 2.64
Log frequency (total)	3.89 ± 0.52	3.54 ± 0.71	3.96 ± 0.39	3.79 ± 0.59	4.23 ± 0.25	3.92 ± 0.29
Log frequency (1st character)	7.80 ± 1.18	5.90 ± 1.76	6.72 ± 2.01	7.48 ± 1.27	7.71 ± 1.90	5.47 ± 0.86
Log frequency (2nd character)	6.85 ± 2.63	7.53 ± 1.22	6.31 ± 1.50	6.79 ± 1.55	7.14 ± 1.45	6.25 ± 0.88

	Positive nouns	Neutral nouns	Negative nouns
Concrete nouns	鲜花 [flower] 笑脸 [smiley face] 首饰 [jewelry] 绿地 [grassy area] 新房 [new house] 别墅 [villa]	总管 [manager] 护照 [passport] 赛场 [stadium] 警卫 [guard] 狮子 [lion] 邮票 [post stamp]	苍蝇 [fly] 棺材 [coffin] 老鼠 [mouse] 遗体 [remains] 病房 [ward] 太监 [eunuch]
Abstract nouns	信誉 [reputation] 美德 [virtue] 名声 [fame] 诚意 [sincerity] 深情 [affectionateness] 乐趣 [joy]	廉价 [cheap] 对策 [countermeasure] 焦点 [focus] 国情 [national condition] 视野 [view] 江湖 [river and lake]	耻辱 [shame] 漏洞 [bug] 创伤 [hurt] 隐患 [hidden danger] 虚荣 [vanity] 困境 [dilemma]

	Positive nouns	Neutral nouns	Negative nouns
Concrete nouns	鲜花 [flower] 笑脸 [smiley face] 首饰 [jewelry] 绿地 [grassy area] 新房 [new house] 别墅 [villa]	总管 [manager] 护照 [passport] 赛场 [stadium] 警卫 [guard] 狮子 [lion] 邮票 [post stamp]	苍蝇 [fly] 棺材 [coffin] 老鼠 [mouse] 遗体 [remains] 病房 [ward] 太监 [eunuch]
Abstract nouns	信誉 [reputation] 美德 [virtue] 名声 [fame] 诚意 [sincerity] 深情 [affectionateness] 乐趣 [joy]	廉价 [cheap] 对策 [countermeasure] 焦点 [focus] 国情 [national condition] 视野 [view] 江湖 [river and lake]	耻辱 [shame] 漏洞 [bug] 创伤 [hurt] 隐患 [hidden danger] 虚荣 [vanity] 困境 [dilemma]