A study on the emotional processing of visual stimuli through event-related potentials

The effect of emotional charge of visual stimuli on cerebral activity was investigated through ERPs. This emotional charge is explained through two dimensions: arousal (relaxing-activating) and valence (attractive-repulsive). Stimuli were 12 paintings selected through questionnaires: three activating-attractive pictures (A+ group), three activating-repulsive (A-), three relaxing (R), and three neutral (N). The ERPs were recorded from the 31 subjects at F3, Fz, F4, C3, Cz, C4, P3, Pz and P4. N200 and P (300) over bar did not show significant reactions to the emotional charge of the stimuli. N300 showed greater amplitudes in response to activating stimuli: at frontal sites for A+ and at parietal sites for A-. (C) 1997 Academic Press.