Realistic (3D) looming of emotional visual stimuli: Attentional effects at neural and behavioral levels

Abstract

Previous research shows that endogenous attention (the controlled selection of certain aspects of our environment) is enhanced toward emotional stimuli due to its biological relevance. Although looming affective stimuli such as threat seem even more critical for survival, little is known about their effect on endogenous attention. Here, we recorded neural (event‐related potentials, ERPs) and behavioral responses (errors and reaction times) to explore the combined effect of emotion and looming motion. 3D‐recreated static and moving animals assessed as emotionally positive, negative, and neutral, were presented to participants (n = 71), who performed an indirect categorization task (vertebrate vs. invertebrate). Behavioral results showed better task performance, as reflected by lower number of errors and reaction times, in response to threatening stimuli. Neural indices revealed significant early (P1p, 150 milliseconds), intermediate (P2p, 240), and late (LPP, 450) effects, the latter being more intensely associated with behavior, as revealed by regression analyses. In general, neural indexes of attention to both static and dynamic stimuli showed a positivity offset in early stages and a negativity bias in subsequent phases. However, and importantly, the progressive inclusion of negative stimuli in the attentional focus is produced earlier in the case of dynamic (at P2p latency) than in static versions (at LPP). These results point to an enhancement of attention, particularly in temporal terms, toward stimuli combining motion and biological significance.

Exogenous Attention to Emotional Stimuli Presenting Realistic (3D) Looming Motion

“…Regarding the latter, the LPC component has been linked to endogenous rather than exogenous attention (e.g., see the reviews by Carretié 2014 ; MacNamara et al 2012 and later works by Carboni et al 2017 ; López-Martín et al 2013 ). Indeed, the emotional content of pictures has been reported to enhance the amplitude of this component (for a review, see Olofsson et al 2008 , and later works by Feng et al 2014 ; Fernández‐Folgueiras et al 2021 ; Nordström and Wiens 2012 ). In our study, the LPC showed maximal amplitudes to dynamic negative distractors, but also static negative, in both cases differing from positive (but not from neutral, in the latter case).…”

“…In this regard, LPC amplitudes have been shown to be sensitive to the proximity of stimulation, showing greater amplitudes for closer than for farther stimuli (Valdés-Conroy et al 2014 ). Behavioral data have also shown improved task performance (lower reaction times and/or errors) when emotional content is endogenously attended (Del Zotto and Pegna 2015 ; Fernández‐Folgueiras et al 2021 ; Yuan et al 2014 ). Our results corroborate previous literature as threatening stimuli were associated with the highest accuracy in the line orientation task.…”