Event-related frontal alpha asymmetries: electrophysiological correlates of approach motivation

Abstract

Over the last decades, frontal alpha asymmetries observed during resting state periods of several minutes have been used as a marker of affective-motivational states. To date, there is no evidence that alpha asymmetries can be observed in response to brief affective-motivational stimuli, as typically presented in event-related designs. As we argue, frontal alpha asymmetry might indeed be elicited by brief events if they are salient enough. In an event-related design, we used erotic pictures, i.e., highly salient incentives to elicit approach motivation, and contrasted them with pictures of dressed attractive women. As expected, we found significant alpha asymmetries for erotic pictures as compared to control pictures. Our findings suggest that the highly reactive reward system can lead to immediate, phasic changes in frontal alpha asymmetries. We discuss the findings with respect to the notion that high salience of erotic pictures derives from their potential of satisfying an individuals' need by mere visual inspection, which is not the case for pictures showing other types of motivational stimuli such as food.

On the role of asymmetric frontal cortical activity in approach and withdrawal motivation: An updated review of the evidence

“…Of course, some stimuli may be sufficiently strong such that they activate approach (or withdrawal) motivation in all participants. Along these lines, Schöne, Schomberg, Gruber, and Quirin () found that erotic stimuli evoked relative left frontal activity in all of their participants.…”

Intentionality in frontal asymmetry research

“…It is important to note that this does not provide a final conclusion about the possible empirical relation of frontal asymmetry and positive affect (for recent positive evidence, see Balconi, ; Balconi, Grippa, & Vanutelli, ; Balconi & Mazza, ; Gable & Harmon‐Jones, ; Schone, Schomberg, Gruber, & Quirin, ). Yet, findings that do show a relation of trait positive affect (PA) with relative greater left frontal activity or studies that show positive affective states leading to greater left frontal activity are likely due to the effect of the correlative empirical relation between approach motivation and PA.…”

Frontal asymmetry as a mediator and moderator of emotion: An updated review

“…Kawamoto, Nittono, and Ura () found that rLFA changed from more rLFA to less rLFA in response to a computer‐based social exclusion task. Schone, Schomberg, Gruber, and Quirin () found that male participants showed more rLFA at F4/F3 sites in response to erotic pictures compared to pictures of attractively dressed women in the 2,500 ms after stimulus presentation. Pönkänen, Peltola, and Hietanen () also found that individuals had more rLFA in response to direct than averted gaze faces but in a follow‐up study did not find any changes in rLFA in response to smiling versus neutral faces (Pönkänen & Hietanen, ).…”