Using fnirs and EDA to investigate the effects of messaging related to a dimensional theory of emotion

Abstract

Effective techniques for the analysis of messaging strategies is critical as targeted messaging is ubiquitous in society and a major research interest in the fields of psychology, business, marketing and communications. In this study, we investigated the effect of audiovisual messaging on participants’ affective state using a two-dimensional theory of emotion with orthogonal valence and arousal axes. Twenty-four participants were recruited and presented with either a positively framed or negatively framed environmental conservation messaging video. We monitored participants’ finger based electrodermal activity (EDA) as well as prefrontal hemodynamic activity using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) during message viewing to attain measures related to neural activity and arousal. Consistent with our expectations, combined results from EDA and prefrontal asymmetry from fNIRS indicate positively framed messaging stimuli was related to higher arousal and higher valence compared to the negatively framed messaging stimuli. Combined brain and body imaging provides a comprehensive assessment and fNIRS + EDA can be used in the future for the neuroergonomic assessment of cognitive and affective state of individuals in real-world environments via wearable sensors.