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Abstract #2136

Bittersweet - Neither Happy Nor Sad. an Experimental Comparision of the Neural Effects of Bittersweet, Negative and Positive Film Clips Using 7T FMRI

Frank P. Schulte1, 2, Stefan Maderwald3, Nicole C. Kraemer4, Matthias Brand1, 2

1General Psychology: Cognition, University Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg, Germany; 2Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; 3Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University Duisburg-Essen , Essen, Germany; 4Social Psychology: Media and Communication, University Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg, Germany

Media psychology suggests that watching sad movies does not only include sad aspects, but also positive messages, and elicits bittersweet feelings. Using 7T-fMRI, we examined neural activity during the presentation of positive, negative and bittersweet movies. Data from 10 female participants shows activation differences in the left orbitofrontal cortex (BA 47,11), indicating that this region is crucially involved in integrating the sweet and the bitter component of bittersweet movies. We found no activation differences within key brain structures of the limbic system, indicating that the different presented films seem to have induced equally strong emotional experiences.

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Keywords

activated activation activations activity additionally albeit although analyzed anatomical argumentation aspect aspects assume awkward behavior bittersweet bold brain brand built cerebral clips cognition coil common communication complex component concentrating concerning connotation consent consistently contrast contrasting contrasts coronal cortex described detail differential distinct elicit elicited emotion emotional emotions engagement equally equipped evoke examination experienced experiences explains feelings film films forms frank frontal functional funny general head healthy hemisphere hence hypothesis indicating individual inspired institute instructed integrated integrates integration interaction involved involvement lateral leisure limbic linear linked materials media medial messages might minus movie movies negative neurobiology neurologically optimized part participants particular people positive presentation prior processes processing psychology rather receive recent reception referential regard relive report respective respectively reverse rolls sadness scanner scanning scores seem seems sensitive share sided significance simple social specificity still stimuli strong stronger students studies suggesting sweet system table theories theory thresholded took uncorrected uplifting watching whether whole