Emotional sequence effects as a function of processing demand and perceptual fluency

Abstract

Viewing emotionally arousing compared to neutral pictures is associated with differential electrophysiological activity in early (‘‘early posterior negativity’’, EPN), as well as later time-windows (‘‘late positive potential’’, LPP). Previous studies revealed that the EPN and LPP components are reduced when the preceding prime picture was emotional. Extending this research, the present study investigated the temporal extension of emotional sequence effects by presenting pictures at slower rates (1 Hz, 120 ms picture presentation, 880 ms ITI). Furthermore, presenting a single pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant picture reduced processing demand. Previous results were replicated in that emotional pictures were associated with enlarged EPN and LPP amplitudes compared to neutral pictures. Of main interest, EPN and LPP components to emotional and neutral pictures were reduced when preceded by emotional prime pictures. These effects occurred even in conditions when the identical pictures served as prime stimulus. Thus, emotional interference effects sustain in time and appear unrelated to perceptual fluency and visualworking memory representation.Results are discussed within a framework of resource competition among successive pictures.