Lateralization of Emotion, Reaction Time, and Skin Conductance Responsiveness

<p>Bilateral presentations of brief (250 ms), unmasked emotional and neutral stimuli were examined in two experiments with primarily female samples. Reaction time and accuracy data were used to measure perception of emotion and skin conductance response (SCR) was used to measure experience of emotion. Both words and pictures were used to account for hemispheric differences in language and visuospatial dominance. Response time was faster to emotional pictures than words. Reaction time and speeded accuracy data did not support right hemisphere hypothesis (RHH) or valence hypothesis (VH) in the expected manner. Data suggested emotion caused greater interference under speeded conditions in the right hemisphere (RH) than in the left hemisphere (LH) for strongly right handed individuals. The RH and LH responded differently to language based than to visuospatial information based on handedness. Under unspeeded conditions accuracy data, indicated the RH was more accurate, which supported RHH as hypothesized. SCR had no significant findings.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Year

2011

Author dc:creator

• Rose, Kimberley Erin

Contributors dc:contributor

• Haerich, Paul E.
• Burley, Todd D.
• Fogel, Travis
• Owen, Jason

• Clinical Psychology
• Cognition and Perception
• Cognitive Psychology
• Medicine and Health Sciences
• Neurosciences
• Psychology
• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Cerebral Dominance; Emotions - Physiology; Reaction Time - Physiology; Galvanic Skin Response - Physiology; Brain Mapping; Functional Laterality; Brain - Localization of Functions; Cognitive Neuroscience
• Visuospatial Information; Visuospatial Dominance; Right-handed individuals; Left-handed individuals

Statement dc:rights

• This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/300

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarsrepository.llu.edu:etd-1295