Measurement of metacognition of emotional dimensions: a ROC based measurement method for metacognition of valence and...

Metacognition of emotions involves accurately assessing one's emotions and the different dimensions of emotions like valence and arousal of one's emotional experience. Unlike perceptual tasks, it is difficult to determine the accuracy of our judgments of valence and arousal associated with our emotional experiences, which in turn makes it difficult to measure metacognition of emotions. Such a measurement is possible if emotional dimensions are governed by perceptual laws. We developed a novel method to classify ratings of emotional dimensions like valence and arousal as correct or incorrect based on the difference between participant's rating for a particular image and different normative ratings calculated based on the same participant's rating to other images or ratings from other participants. We report three experiments in the current study in which participants rated their valence and arousal. In the first experiment, participants provided emotion ratings and confidence judgments using a 100-point scale. Using different normative values as reference points, we constructed Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves to measure their metacognitive sensitivity. The results showed a wide range of values indicating that the emotional metacognition measure varies across individuals. In the next experiment, we used a modified version of a preexisting method using a two-alternative forced choice (2AFC) task and pre-defined stimulus category to assess its reliability and we found significant reliability across two sessions. The third experiment measured test-retest reliability for both the methods to enable comparisons. The measurement using a scale with higher resolution, participant-based accuracy judgment, and ROC based metacognition measure, designed by us, showed higher reliability across sessions for both valence and arousal. The measurement of metacognition of emotions using ROC curves and normative standards of emotions would allow us to understand mechanisms involved in emotion generation and emotion regulation as well as relationships between different dimensions of emotional experience.