Influence of emotion-inducing film stimuli on autonomic response specificity

Abstract

Autonomic response specificity refers to a patterning of autonomic variables according to a particular stimu- lus. The present study investigated the autonomic response patterns elicited during the viewing of video-taped stimuli selected to produce positive and negative emotions in the viewer. Neutral footage, designed not to provoke any emotional state, was also used. Fifteen participants successively viewed three 10-minute films; bloodpressure (BP), electrocardiogram, fingertip temperature and respiration rate were measured throughout the viewing of the films. The participants completed two questionnaires after each film presentation. The questionnaires concerned the emotions that were provoked by the films. Once the provoked emotions were identified by the questionnaires the physical findings were analyzed; cardiovascular responses decreased during positive and increased during negative emotion. Fingertip temperature increased during negative emotions but did not change during positive emotions. From a hemodynamics viewpoint, the increase in BP resulted from an increase in the peripheral vascu- lar resistance (PVR) and heart rate. Based on the cognitive aspects of the responses to the film stimuli,the differ- ent cardiovascular patterns during positive and negative emotions were explained by the stimulus intake-rejection hypothesis; i.e., cardiovascular response increases during information intake and decreases during information re- jection. In conclusion, autonomic response specificity patterns may be detected among different cardiovascular re- sponse patterns using emotion-inducing stimuli.