Psychophysiological Reactivity to Affective Visual Stimulation of Negative Emotional Valence: Comparative Analysis of Autonomic and Frontal EEG Responses to the IAPS and the KAPS

Autonomic and EEG responses were analyzed in 32 college students exposed to visual stimulation with Korean Affective Picture System (KAPS) and 36 students exposed to the International Affective Picture System (IAPS). Cardiac, electrodermal, and electrocortical measures were recorded during 30 sec of viewing affective pictures. The slides intended to elicit basic emotions (fear, anger, surprise, disgust, and sadness) were presented to subjects via Kodak slide-projector. The aim of the study was to differentiate autonomic and EEG responses associated with the same negative valence emotions elicited by KAPS and IAPS stimulation and to identify the influence of cultural relevance on physiological reactivity. The analysis of obtained results revealed significant differences in physiological responsiveness to emotionally negative valence slides from KAPS and IAPS. The typical response profile for all emotions elicited by the KAPS included HR acceleration (except surprise), and increase of electrodermal activity, slow and fast alpha blocking and fast beta power increase in EEG, which was not associated with significant asymmetry (except fast alpha in sadness). Stimulation with the IAPS evoked HR deceleration, specific electrodermal responses with relatively high tonic electrodermal activation, alpha-blocking and fast beta increase, and was accompanied also by theta power increase and marked frontal asymmetry (e.g., fast beta, theta asymmetries in sadness, fast alpha in fear). Physiological responses to fear and anger-eliciting slides from the IAPS were significantly less profound and were accompanied by autonomic and EEG changes more typical for attention rather than negative affect. Higher cardiovascular and electrodermal reactivity to fear emotion observed in the KAPS, e.g., as compared to data with the IAPS as stimuli, can be explained by cultural relevance and higher effectiveness of the KAPS in producing certain emotions such as fear in Koreans.