Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 29, 2025

Investigating the Neural Mechanisms of Aware and Unaware Fear Memory with fMRI
Published on: October 6, 2011
Emotion regulation through bifocal processing of fear inducing and disgust inducing stimuli
Dina Wittfoth1, Antonia Pfeiffer2, Michael Bohne3
1Institut für Diagnostische und Interventionelle Neuroradiologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany. Wittfoth.Dina@mh-hannover.de.
Background:
We present first-time evidence for the immediate neural and behavioral effects of bifocal emotional processing via visualized tapping for two different types of negative emotions (fear and disgust) in a sample of healthy participants.
Results:
Independent of stimulus type, neural activation in the amygdala is increased during regulation, while activation in the ventral anterior cingulate cortex is decreased. Behavioral responses, as well as lateral and medial occipital regions and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex show differential regulatory effects with respect to stimulus type.
Conclusions:
Our findings suggest that emotion regulation through bifocal processing has a neural and behavioral signature that is distinct from previously investigated emotion regulation strategies. They support theoretical models of facilitated access to and processing of emotions during bifocal processing and suggest differential neural and behavioral effects for various types of negative emotions.
Related Concept Videos
Facial Feedback Hypothesis
The Influence of Cognition on Affect
Cognitive Theories: Schachter-Singer Theory of Emotion
Physiological Arousal and Cognitive Labeling
According to this theory, when an individual experiences...
Factors Affecting Perception
An illustrative example of a perceptual set is the scenario where an airline pilot told...
Cognitive Theories: Lazarus Mediational Theory of Emotion
Cognitive Appraisal and Emotional Response
Lazarus proposed that...
Role of Amygdala in Memory
One of the...

