Observing videos of a baby crying or smiling induces similar,but not identical,electroencephalographic responses in biological and adoptive mothers

It is well-known that adoptive mothers respond to cues from their babies in similar ways to biological mothers, and that cortical processing is critical for adequate motive–emotional maternal responses. This study used electroencephalographic activity (EEG) to characterize prefrontal, parietal and temporal functioning in biological mothers (BM), adoptive mothers (AM), and non-mothers (NM), while viewing videos of a baby smiling or crying. The BM presented higher absolute power (AP) in the delta and theta bands (associated with pleasant, positive emotional experiences) in the frontal and parietal areas under all conditions. In response to the smiling video, both types of mothers presented a lower AP in alpha1 in the three cortices (indicative of increased attention) and, mainly in temporal areas, a higher AP in the fast frequencies (beta and gamma, reflecting increased alertness to sensory stimuli and cognitive processing). This EEG pattern in the BM and AM could reflect the greater attention and, probably, the positive mood caused by the smiling video, showing that both are sensitive to these pleasant stimuli. When viewing the video of a baby crying, the AM had higher AP in the fast frequencies (temporal and parietal areas), indicating that they were more reactive to this unpleasant video, while the NM presented only a lower AP in alpha1 in all cortices, a finding that could be associated with the general activation induced by these unpleasant stimuli as a consequence of their lack of maternal experience. These findings should help improve our understanding of the neural mechanisms involved in the processing of sensorial stimuli that establish affective-emotional links during motherhood.     

Emotional collectives: How groups shape emotions and emotions shape groups

Group settings are epicentres of emotional activity. Yet, the role of emotions in groups is poorly understood. How do group-level phenomena shape group members’ emotional experience and expression? How are emotional expressions recognised, interpreted and shared in group settings? And how do such expressions influence the emotions, cognitions and behaviours of fellow group members and outside observers? To answer these and other questions, we draw on relevant theoretical perspectives (e.g., intergroup emotions theory, social appraisal theory and emotions as social information theory) and recent empirical findings regarding the role of emotions in groups. We organise our review according to two overarching themes: how groups shape emotions and how emotions shape groups. We show how novel empirical approaches break important new ground in uncovering the role of emotions in groups. Research on emotional collectives is thriving and constitutes a key to understanding the social nature of emotions.     

Visual search for emotional expressions: Effect of stimulus set on anger and happiness superiority

Prior reports of preferential detection of emotional expressions in visual search have yielded inconsistent results, even for face stimuli that avoid obvious expression-related perceptual confounds. The current study investigated inconsistent reports of anger and happiness superiority effects using face stimuli drawn from the same database. Experiment 1 excluded procedural differences as a potential factor, replicating a happiness superiority effect in a procedure that previously yielded an anger superiority effect. Experiments 2a and 2b confirmed that image colour or poser gender did not account for prior inconsistent findings. Experiments 3a and 3b identified stimulus set as the critical variable, revealing happiness or anger superiority effects for two partially overlapping sets of face stimuli. The current results highlight the critical role of stimulus selection for the observation of happiness or anger superiority effects in visual search even for face stimuli that avoid obvious expression related perceptual confounds and are drawn from a single database.     

Promise and Ontological Ambiguity in the In vitro Meat Imagescape: From Laboratory Myotubes to the Cultured Burger

In vitro meat (IVM), also known as cultured meat, involves growing cells into muscle tissue to be eaten as food. The technology had its most high-profile moment in 2013 when a cultured burger was cooked and tasted in a press conference. Images of the burger featured in the international media and were circulated across the Internet. These images—literally marks on a two-dimensional surface—do important work in establishing what IVM is and what it can do. A combination of visual semiotics and narrative analysis shows that images of IVM afford readings of their story that are co-created by the viewer. Before the cultured burger, during 2011, images of IVM fell into four distinct categories: cell images, tissue images, flowcharts, and meat in a dish images. The narrative infrastructure of each image type affords different interpretations of what IVM can accomplish and what it is. The 2013 cultured burger images both draw upon and depart from these image types in an attempt to present IVM as a normal food stuff, and as ‘matter in place’ when placed on the plate. The analysis of individual images and the collection of images about a certain object or subject—known as the imagescape—is a productive approach to understanding the ontology and promise of IVM and is applicable to other areas of social life.     

Book Reviews

Jung, C. G. Visions. Notes on the Seminar Given in 1930–34.
Edinger, Edward F. The Psyche in Antiquity. Book 1. Early Greek Philosophy. Book 2. Gnosticism and Early Christianity.
Margaret Arden. Midwifery of the Soul: A Holistic Perspective on Psychoanalysis. Collected Papers of Margaret Arden.
Rodriguez, Leonardo S. Psychoanalysis with Children: History, Theory and Practice.     

Contributors to this issue

Geoffrey Blowers
Francis X. Charet
Terence Dawson
David Hewison
John Izod
William E. Kotsch
Patricia Michán
Joe Redfearn
Julieta Besquin Rubinstein
Mara Sidoli     

Perceptions of the family, delinquency, and emotional adjustment among youth

This study explored the relationships between perceived family processes (parental bonding and parental discipline styles) and adolescent emotional and behavioural adjustment among a sample of youth. Respondents were 92 (53 female, 39 male) high school students, aged 13–17 years. Significant sex differences were noted regarding levels of self-reported delinquency and parental induction style. After controlling for sex, perceptions of low care and love withdrawal were significantly related to delinquency, while low care, overprotectiveness and love withdrawal were found to be related to poor well being. Structural equation modelling was used to further assess the relationships between perceptions of family life and the outcome variables. It was concluded that adolescent perceptions of family processes form a coherent and integrated network with implications for behavioural and emotional adjustment.     

Assessing emotional processing difficulties in normotensive individuals with high and isolated blood pressure elevations

This study examined the effect of sense modality (auditory/visual) on emotional dampening (reduced responsiveness to emotions with elevation in blood pressure). Fifty‐six normotensive participants were assessed on tasks requiring labelling and matching of emotions in faces and voices. Based on median split of systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP and DBP, respectively), participants were divided into low BP, high BP and isolated BP groups. On emotion‐labelling tasks, analysis revealed reduced emotion recognition in the high BP than the low BP group. On emotion‐matching tasks, reduced emotion recognition was noted in high and also isolated BP group as compared to low BP group for the task that required matching a visual target with one of the four auditory distractors. Our findings show for the first time that even isolated elevations in either SBP or DBP may result in emotional dampening. Furthermore, the study highlights that the emotional dampening effect generalises to explicit processing (labelling) of emotional information in both faces and voices—and that these effects tentatively occur during more pragmatic and covert (matching) emotion recognition processes too. These findings require replication in clinical hypertensives.     

Toxic Environment of war: Maternal prenatal heavy metal load predicts infant emotional development

BackgroundPeople in war zones are exposed to heavy metal contamination deriving from new-generation weapons, in addition to exposure to psychologically traumatizing war events. Pregnant women and their children-to-be are particularly vulnerable to both biological and psychological war effects.ObjectiveThe aim of the current study was to analyse the impact of maternal prenatal heavy metal contamination on infant emotional development and to examine the potential moderating role of maternal symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the association between heavy metal load and infant emotional development.MethodsThe participants were 502 Palestinian mothers, pregnant in their first trimester during the 2014 War on Gaza. The mothers were recruited at their delivery (T1) and followed at the infants’ age of 6–7 months (T2; N = 392). The load of five weapon-related heavy metals (chromium, mercury, vanadium, strontium, and uranium) was analysed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP/MS) from mothers’ hair samples at childbirth (T1). Assessment of maternal PTSD symptoms was based on the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ) and infant emotional development on the Infant Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ), both reported by mothers (T2).ResultsTwo of the analysed metals, chromium and uranium, adversely predicted children’s early emotional development, indicated by decreased positive affectivity, increased negative emotionality, and problems in early orientation and regulation. Mother’s PTSD did not moderate the impact of heavy metal contamination on children’s emotional development.ConclusionsAdverse impact of war is not limited to those who experience it directly, but is passed on to future generations through multiple mechanisms. International organizations are obliged to protect parents and infants from the modern weaponry in wars.