Evidence for neural re-use hypothesis from the processing of Chinese emotional words

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1041.2021.00933

Abstract

Abstract:

The neural re-use hypothesis postulates that the emotional effects of words can be produced without semantic formation, which is more helpful for human adaptation to the environment. To test this hypothesis, electroencephalogram (EEG) and behavioral experiments were designed to record the processing characteristics of negative and neutral Chinese words. The results showed that ERPs of disgust words were dissociated from neutral words at about 170ms. The EPN which was associated with visual attention of emotional stimulus appeared in the occipital region. The N400 difference between disgust and neutral words originated in the insula. The maximum activation point time window started at 380 ms. These results indicate that the emotional effect appears before the semantic analysis of emotional words, which supports the neural re-use hypothesis.

Key words: words, disgust, neural re-use hypothesis, ERP

SUN Tianyi, HAO Xiaoxiao, HE Anming, WANG Caiyu, XU Yuanli, GUO Chunyan, ZHOU Wei. (2021). Evidence for neural re-use hypothesis from the processing of Chinese emotional words. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 53(9), 933-943.

Figures/Tables 6

References 56

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Variable	Word category
Variable	Disgust words (M ± SD)	Neutral words (M ± SD)
Valence	1.69 ± 0.22	3.31 ± 0.29
Degree of arousal	2.95 ± 0.35	2.41 ± 0.38
Imageability	3.37 ± 0.49	3.74 ± 0.68
Familiarity	3.37 ± 0.64	3.81 ± 0.81

Variable	Word category
Variable	Disgust words (M ± SD)	Neutral words (M ± SD)
Valence	1.69 ± 0.22	3.31 ± 0.29
Degree of arousal	2.95 ± 0.35	2.41 ± 0.38
Imageability	3.37 ± 0.49	3.74 ± 0.68
Familiarity	3.37 ± 0.64	3.81 ± 0.81

Electrode position	Potentials of the ERP component
	P100		EPN
		Disgust words (M±SD)	Neutral words (M ± SD)	Disgust words (M ± SD)	Neutral words (M ± SD)
Left (O1)	4.49 ± 3.44	4.11 ± 4.24	-3.72 ± 3.56	-3.57 ± 2.71
Medium (Oz)	2.52 ± 4.07	2.51 ± 4.51	-2.96 ± 3.75	-2.55 ± 2.96
Right (O2)	3.71 ± 5.93	3.73 ± 6.18	-3.77 ± 4.57	-2.74 ± 3.93

Electrode position	Potentials of the ERP component
	P100		EPN
		Disgust words (M±SD)	Neutral words (M ± SD)	Disgust words (M ± SD)	Neutral words (M ± SD)
Left (O1)	4.49 ± 3.44	4.11 ± 4.24	-3.72 ± 3.56	-3.57 ± 2.71
Medium (Oz)	2.52 ± 4.07	2.51 ± 4.51	-2.96 ± 3.75	-2.55 ± 2.96
Right (O2)	3.71 ± 5.93	3.73 ± 6.18	-3.77 ± 4.57	-2.74 ± 3.93

Electrode position	Potential under analytical time window
	300~500 ms		500~700 ms
		Disgust words (M±SD)	Neutral words (M ± SD)	Disgust words (M ± SD)	Neutral words (M ± SD)
FPz	-0.15 ± 2.61	0.52 ± 2.83	1.73 ± 2.15	1.31 ± 2.46
Fz	2.49 ± 2.89	0.50 ± 2.74	2.92 ± 2.41	0.76 ± 1.88
Cz	4.74 ± 4.40	1.72 ± 3.51	5.58 ± 4.19	2.80 ± 2.92
Pz	5.50 ± 4.54	2.83 ± 3.55	5.17 ± 4.58	3.09 ± 3.26
Oz	2.13 ± 2.76	0.53 ± 2.64	2.01 ± 2.67	1.09 ± 2.21