Effects of positive and negative emotional states on conjugate lateral eye movements and bilateral finger pulse volume

Abstract

Lateral eye movement (LEM) and finger pulse volume (FPV) measures were taken while subjects responded to questions incorporating both a cognitive component, Visuo-spatia 1 or verbal processing, and an emotional component, excitement or fear= Initial LEMs immediately following stimulus offset and predominant LEM direction during a 10 second period were recorded by EOG. Both LEM measures and FPV did not yield significant bilateral differences as a function of either emotional or cognitive content. Subjects displayed a propensity for left looking across conditions. There was an intriguing, but nonsignificant similarity between left LEMs and increased blood flow to subjects' left sides in response to negative questions. However, no clear evidence was found for hemispheric effects on LEMs or FPV. Results are discussed in terms of the use of automation, the possible effects of subject stress and stimulus development and construction. Recommendations for future research include the gathering of evidence for the connection of hemispheric activity and LEMs at the neurophysiological level and the continued use of corroborative physiological measures such as FPV.