It has been suggested that emotional states modulate the breadth of attentional focus. However, it remains unclear whether this effect occurs from the beginning of the sensory input stage or at later stages of processing. In the present study, we recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) in a spatial selective attention task to examine the breadth of spatial attention at early visual processing stages. Twelve university students participated in the experiment. After viewing negative, neutral, and positive affective pictures, participants directed their attention to the left or right visual field and performed a target detection task. The occipitotemporal P1 (80–130 ms) elicited by standard stimuli was more positive over the hemisphere contralateral to the attended visual hemifield. This contralateral preponderance effect has been assumed to reflect the attentional gain control mechanism in the visual cortices. Although affective pictures induced significant changes in subjective emotional states, they did not modulate the P1 attention effect. The result does not support the hypothesis that emotional states modulate the breadth of attentional focus at early visual processing stages. Based on this and previous findings, we discuss that the emotional influence on the breadth of attentional focus may occur at later stages of processing.

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Odor and color are powerful elicitors of subjective emotion, yet it is not clear whether emotions elicited by odor are influenced by color. The present study examined the influence of color on the affective ratings of odors from essential oils: lemon, lavender, and sandalwood. Two preliminary tests using the same mood scale (Multiple Mood Scale: MMS) to odors and colors revealed that there were affectively congruent (and incongruent) pairs of colors and odors. Thus, affectively congruent and incongruent colors were determined for the three odors based on these preliminary tests. In the Experiment, 19 participants rated their affective impression of odors under two conditions; the odors were primed by congruent colors and by incongruent colors. The results showed that the affective ratings of odor differed between congruent and incongruent color conditions. The ratings changed toward the color's affective properties that were found in a preliminary test. These findings suggest that the emotions elicited by an odor are influenced by the affective properties of a primed color.

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This study had two purposes: first, to clarify the cognitive appraisals that produce gratitude; and second, to examine the effect of cognitive appraisals on emotional experiences of gratitude. Results of a preliminary study indicated that four predominant cognitive appraisals can produce gratitude: naturalness of the situation, receipt of benefit, concern of benefactor to recipient, and cost to benefactor. Furthermore, 488 undergraduate students were presented with five types of situations that produce gratitude: “receiving help,” “receiving gifts,” “imposing on others,” “getting a condition improved” or “changeless condition.” Then, we asked participants to rate on the scales of the four groups of cognitive appraisals and two groups of emotional experiences of gratitude: contentment and apologetic emotion. Factor analysis revealed three groups of cognitive appraisals: ‘receiving favor,’ ‘cost to benefactor,’ and ‘naturalness of the situation.’ Regression analysis showed that ‘receiving benefit’ facilitates contentment. Furthermore, in three types of situations, namely “receiving help,” “receiving gifts” and “imposing on others,” ‘cost to benefactor’ facilitated apologetic emotion. In addition, the effects of cognitive appraisal on emotional experiences of gratitude differed among the types of situation. These results were discussed regarding the different characteristics among the types of situations.

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The purpose of this study was to reveal the role of friendship motivation in early stages of friendship. We examined the relationships between friendship motivation and affiliation tendencies and affect in dyadic interactions with unacquainted partners. Thirty-eight university students participated in the study. The participants were paired with a same-sex unacquainted partner and were observed in a dyadic interaction situation. The indices of affiliation tendencies were looking, smiling, and willingness to engage in future interaction with partners. The results showed that autonomous motivation was positively related to looking and willingness to engage in future interaction. Controlled motivation was positively related to negative affect before interaction. The effect of autonomous motivation on friendship formation is discussed.

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