Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Cognitive Theories: Schachter-Singer Theory of Emotion

Cognitive Theories: Schachter-Singer Theory of Emotion

Stanley Schachter and Jerome Singer proposed the two-factor theory of emotion, which emphasizes the interplay between physiological arousal and cognitive labeling in forming emotional experiences. This theory suggests that emotions are not simply a result of physiological responses but rather a combination of these responses and the individual's cognitive interpretation of them.
Physiological Arousal and Cognitive Labeling
According to this theory, when an individual experiences...

Physiological Theories: James-Lange Theory of Emotion

Physiological Theories: James-Lange Theory of Emotion

The James-Lange theory of emotion, proposed by William James and Carl Lange in the late 19th century, asserts that emotions are the result of physiological reactions to external stimuli. Contrary to the traditional view, which suggests that emotions directly arise from the perception of stimuli, this theory proposes that emotions occur as a consequence of the body's responses to such stimuli. According to this framework, an emotional experience is a cognitive interpretation of physiological...

Automatic Processing and Automatic Social Behavior

Automatic Processing and Automatic Social Behavior

Automatic processing refers to the cognitive operations that occur without conscious intent or awareness, playing a fundamental role in shaping social cognition and behavior. These processes enable individuals to navigate complex social environments efficiently by relying on mental shortcuts and pre-existing knowledge structures known as schemas. One of the most influential mechanisms underlying automatic processing is priming, which subtly activates mental representations through exposure to...

Factors Affecting Perception

Factors Affecting Perception

Perception is influenced by perceptual set, context, motivation, and emotion. Perceptual set, or perceptual expectancy, refers to the tendency to perceive things in a particular way, influenced by previous experiences and expectations. This phenomenon affects the interpretation of stimuli, creating a set of mental tendencies and assumptions that impact sensory perceptions of sound, taste, touch, and sight.
An illustrative example of a perceptual set is the scenario where an airline pilot told...

Physiological Theories: Cannon-Bard Theory of Emotion

Physiological Theories: Cannon-Bard Theory of Emotion

The Cannon-Bard theory of emotion, proposed by Walter Cannon and Philip Bard, challenges the notion that emotions are solely the result of physiological responses. Instead, this theory suggests that emotional experiences and physiological arousal occur simultaneously but operate through independent mechanisms. This dual response is initiated by the brain, specifically by the thalamus, which plays a critical role in processing sensory information.
Upon perceiving a stimulus, such as a dangerous...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Rumination Mediates the Relationship Between Potentially Traumatic Events and Positive Affect in a Sample of Youth.

Journal of child & adolescent trauma·2026

Same author

Emotion regulation or dual task? Dissociation of neural and behavioral measures.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Same author

ClearScope: A Fully Integrated Light-Sheet Theta Microscope for Sub-Micron-Resolution Imaging Without Lateral Size Constraints.

Journal of imaging·2026

Same author

Equal outcomes after human leukocyte antigen-matched unrelated versus sibling donor transplants-Results of the AML SCT-BFM 2007 trial and consecutive 'real-world routine'.

British journal of haematology·2026

Same author

Profiles of Neuroaffective Responding to Natural Reward-Predicting Cues and Alcohol Images in Alcohol Use Disorder: An Event-Related Potential Approach.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025

Same author

Standardizing ROI placement significantly increases the within- and between-subject reliability of electric field models.

Brain stimulation·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 27, 2026

Using the Threat Probability Task to Assess Anxiety and Fear During Uncertain and Certain Threat

Using the Threat Probability Task to Assess Anxiety and Fear During Uncertain and Certain Threat

Published on: September 12, 2014

Startle modulation during emotional anticipation and perception.

Christopher T Sege¹, Margaret M Bradley, Peter J Lang

¹Center for the Study of Emotion and Attention, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.

Psychophysiology

|July 2, 2014

Summary

Anticipating emotional pictures potentiates the startle reflex, unlike neutral ones. Informative cues altered reflex modulation during anticipation and perception, potentially dampening defensive responses.

Keywords:

Anticipation Emotion Perception Pictures Startle

More Related Videos

Habituation and Prepulse Inhibition of Acoustic Startle in Rodents

Habituation and Prepulse Inhibition of Acoustic Startle in Rodents

Published on: September 1, 2011

Reducing State Anxiety Using Working Memory Maintenance

Reducing State Anxiety Using Working Memory Maintenance

Published on: July 19, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 27, 2026

Using the Threat Probability Task to Assess Anxiety and Fear During Uncertain and Certain Threat

Using the Threat Probability Task to Assess Anxiety and Fear During Uncertain and Certain Threat

Published on: September 12, 2014

Habituation and Prepulse Inhibition of Acoustic Startle in Rodents

Habituation and Prepulse Inhibition of Acoustic Startle in Rodents

Published on: September 1, 2011

Reducing State Anxiety Using Working Memory Maintenance

Reducing State Anxiety Using Working Memory Maintenance

Published on: July 19, 2017

Area of Science:

Psychology
Neuroscience
Cognitive Science

Background:

The startle reflex, a protective response, is modulated by emotional stimuli.
Anticipation of emotional content amplifies the startle reflex compared to neutral content.
Understanding the temporal dynamics of this modulation and the effect of cues is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the time course of startle reflex modulation during the anticipation of emotional and neutral scenes.
To examine the impact of informative visual cues on picture perception and reflex responses.
To determine if anticipatory modulation differs based on emotional valence and cue presence.

Main Methods:

Utilized acoustic startle probes to measure blink response modulation.
Presented visual stimuli (emotional and neutral scenes) signaled by color cues.
Measured blink responses at varying intervals (3, 2, 1s before; 2s after) relative to picture onset.

Main Results:

Anticipating neutral scenes showed increasing blink attenuation closer to picture onset.
Anticipating emotional scenes revealed no temporal change in reflex magnitude, with potentiation near onset.
During perception, the anticipated potentiation for unpleasant pictures was absent, suggesting cue-induced dampening.

Conclusions:

Anticipatory startle reflex modulation differs significantly between emotional and neutral stimuli.
Informative visual cues can alter defensive activation during both anticipation and perception phases.
The findings suggest that cognitive factors, like cueing, can override or dampen automatic defensive responses.