Korean Journal of Cognitive Science (인지과학)

The Korean Society for Cognitive Science (한국인지과학회)
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Effects of Working Memory Load on Negative Facial Emotion Processing: an ERP study

작업기억 부담이 부적 얼굴정서 처리에 미치는 영향: ERP 연구

  • Park, Taejin (Department of Psychology, Chonnam National University) ;
  • Kim, Junghee (Department of Psychology, Chonnam National University)
  • Received : 2018.03.23
  • Accepted : 2018.03.24
  • Published : 2018.03.30
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Abstract

To elucidate the effect of working memory (WM) load on negative facial emotion processing, we examined ERP components (P1 and N170) elicited by fearful and neutral expressions each of which was presented during 0-back (low-WM load) or 2-back (high-WM load) tasks. During N-back tasks, visual objects were presented one by one as targets and each of facial expressions was presented as a passively observed stimulus during intervals between targets. Behavioral results showed more accurate and fast responses at low-WM load condition compared to high-WM load condition. Analysis of mean amplitudes of P1 on the occipital region showed significant WM load effect (high-WM load > low-WM load) but showed nonsignificant facial emotion effect. Analysis of mean amplitudes of N170 on the posterior occipito-temporal region showed significant overall facial emotion effect (fearful > neutral), but, in detail, significant facial emotion effect was observed only at low-WM load condition on the left hemisphere, but was observed at high-WM load condition as well as low-WM load condition on the right hemisphere. To summarize, facial emotion effect observed by N170 amplitudes was modulated by WM load only on the left hemisphere. These results show that early emotional processing of negative facial expression could be eliminated or reduced by high load of WM on the left hemisphere, but could not be eliminated by high load on the right hemisphere, and suggest right hemispheric lateralization of negative facial emotion processing.

작업기억 부담이 부적 얼굴정서 처리에 미치는 영향을 밝히기 위해, N-back 과제 수행 도중 제시된 부적 얼굴표정에 의해 유발된 ERP성분들을 조사하였다. 한 개씩 순차적으로 제시되는 시각적 사물그림들에 대한 기억을 유지하고 갱신하도록 요구하면서(N-back 과제) 이 사물그림들이 제시되는 사이에 공포표정 또는 중립표정의 얼굴자극을 하나씩 제시하였는데, 작업기억 부담을 0-back 조건(저부담)과 2-back 조건(고부담)으로 조작하였다. N-back과제 수행반응을 분석한 결과, 고부담조건에 비해 저부담조건에서 더 빠르고 정확한 반응이 관찰되었다. 얼굴자극에 의해 유발된 ERP 평균진폭을 분석한 결과, 후두영역에서 측정한 P1 진폭에서는 정서가효과는 유의미하지 않았고 작업기억 부담효과만 유의미하였다(고부담 > 저부담). 후측 후두-측두 영역에서 측정한 N170 진폭에서 얼굴 정서가효과는 전반적으로는 유의미하였지만(부정 > 중립) 세부적으로는 작업기억부담과 반구에 따라 다르게 나타났는데, 정서가효과가 좌반구에서는 저부담조건의 경우에만, 우반구에서는 두 부담조건 모두에서 관찰되었다. 결국, 얼굴표정의 부적 정서가가 N170에 미치는 영향이 좌반구에서는 작업기억 부담에 의해 조절되었지만 우반구에서는 그렇지 않았다. 이러한 결과는, 부적 얼굴 표정의 초기 정서처리가 작업기억의 유지 및 조작 부담이 큰 경우 좌반구에서는 약화되거나 일어나지 않을 수 있는 반면, 우반구에서는 작업기억 부담의 크기에 관계없이 일어남을 보여주는 것으로써, 부적 얼굴정서 처리의 우반구 편재를 시사한다.

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References

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