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Although music is one of the most important sources of pleasure for many people, there are considerable individual differences in music reward sensitivity. Behavioral and neurobiological characterizations of music reward variability have been topics of increasing scientific interest over the last two decades. However, it is not clear how differences in music reward sensitivity might influence the perception of emotions represented by music and, specifically, how music reward sensitivity could influence subjective music evaluation when the affective valence of music is considered. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between music reward sensitivity and the perception of emotions in music, taking into account the emotional category of stimuli (pleasant, neutral, or unpleasant music clips). Music reward and emotion perception were also explored as a function of gender, musicianship, and music discrimination skills. We used the Barcelona Music Reward Questionnaire and the previously validated Film Music Stimulus Set (FMSS); participants rated FMSS excerpts for affective dimensions (valence, energy, and tension arousal) and discrete emotions (happiness, anger, fear, tenderness, and sadness). Our results showed that music reward was the main factor influencing FMSS evaluation, particularly for excerpts associated with positive affect. Gender had an important influence on evaluations linked to the negative pole of emotions, and music discrimination skills seemed to be associated with cognitive aspects of music analysis, rather than with the emotional architecture of pleasant music excerpts. Our findings highlight the need to consider music reward sensitivity and gender in studies of music and emotion, and open the possibility of using the FMSS in studies exploring the neurobiological and psychosocial bases of music emotion.

Prior neuroimaging studies of music-evoked emotions have shown that music listening involves the activation of cortical and subcortical regions. However, these regions could be differentially activated by music stimuli with different affective valence. To better understand the neural correlates involved in the processing of pleasant and unpleasant emotions induced by music, we conducted a quantitative activation likelihood estimate (ALE) meta-analysis. We performed separate ALE analyses for the overall brain activation during music listening (63 studies), for the brain activation during listening to unpleasant music (23 studies) and for the brain activation while listening to pleasant music (21 studies). Our results showed an activation of a range of cortical and subcortical regions, including the amygdala, insula, striatum, thalamus, parahippocampal gyrus, anterior cingulate gyrus and superior temporal gyrus. Moreover, our findings showed that pleasant and unpleasant music specifically activated different brain regions. Particularly, unpleasant music activated the amygdala, hippocampus and the anterior cingulate cortex, whereas pleasant music activated the striatum, thalamus and the hippocampus. The identification of brain networks preferentially activated during listening to pleasant and unpleasant music provide useful clinical information for the development of therapies in psychological disorders with emotion reactivity problems.

The literature review reveals different conceptual and methodological challenges in the field of music and emotion, such as the lack of agreement in terms of standardized datasets, and the need for replication of prior findings. Our study aimed at validating for Spanish population a set of film music stimuli previously standardized in Finnish samples. In addition, we explored the role of gender and culture in the perception of emotions through music using 102 excerpts selected from Eerola and Vuoskoski’s dataset. A total of 129 voluntary undergraduate students (71.32% females) from different degrees participated voluntarily in this study, where they were instructed to rate both discrete emotions (Happiness, Sadness, Tenderness, Fear, Anger) and affective dimensions (Valence, Energy Arousal, Tension Arousal) using a 9-point scale after presentation of each excerpt. Strong similarities between Finnish and Spanish ratings were found, with only minor discrepancies across samples in the evaluation of basic emotions. Taken together, our findings suggest that the current database is suitable for future research on music and emotions. Additional theoretical and practical implications of this validation are discussed.

The use of music as emotional stimuli in experimental studies has grown in recent years. However, prior studies have mainly focused on self-reports and central measures, with a few works exploring the time course of psychophysiological correlates. Moreover, most of the previous research has been carried out either from the dimensional or categorical model but not combining both approaches to emotions. This study aimed to investigate subjective and physiological correlates of emotion elicitation through music, following the three-dimensional and the discrete emotion model. A sample of 50 healthy volunteers (25 women) took part in this experiment by listening to 42 film music excerpts (14 pleasant, 14 unpleasant, 14 neutral) presented during 8 s, while peripheral measures were continuously recorded. After music offset, affective dimensions (valence, energy arousal, and tension arousal) as well as discrete emotions (happiness, sadness, tenderness, fear, and anger) were collected using a 9-point scale. Results showed an effect of the music category on subjective and psychophysiological measures. In peripheral physiology, greater electrodermal activity, heart rate acceleration, and zygomatic responses, besides lower corrugator amplitude, were observed for pleasant excerpts in comparison to neutral and unpleasant music, from 2 s after stimulus onset until the end of its duration. Overall, our results add evidence for the efficacy of standardized film music excerpts to evoke powerful emotions in laboratory settings; thus, opening a path to explore interventions based on music in pathologies with underlying emotion deregulatory processes. Funding for open access charge: CRUE-Universitat Jaume I

The present study aims at comparing the effects of two subtypes of cognitive reappraisal (i.e., stimulus-focused vs. goal-based reappraisal) to reduce anticipatory anxiety of pain. Affective ratings, startle reflex, and autonomic measures (electrodermal and heart rate changes) were used as a measure of emotion regulation success. A total of 86 undergraduate students completed an anticipatory task in which they had to regulate their negative emotions or react naturally when faced with the possibility of receiving a painful thermal stimulus. Participants were randomly assigned to two experimental groups to compare the stimulus-focused and goal-based strategies explored here. Our results revealed enhanced self-reported anxiety, electrodermal activity and eyeblink response when participants tried to voluntarily down-regulate their negative emotions, compared to the control instruction. Differences between both cognitive reappraisal groups were not found. These unexpected findings suggest that brief reappraisal instructions may not necessarily be favorable for regulating emotions during anticipation of aversive events. Moreover, these results are further explained in terms of the pain expectation, the painful stimuli modality, and emotion regulation instructions. Funding for open access charge: CRUE-Universitat Jaume I

Cognitive reappraisal and acceptance strategies have been shown to be effective in reducing pain experience and increasing pain tolerance. However, no systematic reviews have focused on the relationship between the use of these two strategies and peripheral physiological correlates when pain is experimentally induced. This systematic review aims to summarize the existing literature that explores the relationship between emotion regulation strategies (i.e., cognitive reappraisal and acceptance) and peripheral correlates of the autonomic nervous system and facial electromyography, such as affect-modulated responses and corrugator activity, on laboratory tasks where pain is induced. The systematic review identifies nine experimental studies that meet our inclusion criteria, none of which compare these strategies. Although cognitive reappraisal and acceptance strategies appear to be associated with decreased psychological responses, mixed results were found for the effects of the use of both strategies on all the physiological correlates. These inconsistencies between the studies might be explained by the high methodological heterogeneity in the task designs, as well as a lack of consistency between the instructions used in the different studies for cognitive reappraisal, acceptance, and the control conditions.

This is a pre-print of an article published in Behavior Research Methods. The final authenticated version is available online at: https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428-021-01567-9. Pictures with affective content have been widely used in the scientific study of emotions, from two main perspectives: on the one hand, dimensional theories claiming that affective experiences can be described according to a few fundamental dimensions such as valence and arousal, and on the other hand, discrete-category theories proposing the presence of a number of basic and universal emotions. Although it has been demonstrated that these two approaches are not mutually exclusive, the existing standardized affective picture databases have been created from the dimensional perspective, which has led to important gaps for research focused on discrete emotions. The present work introduces MATTER, a new database comprising 540 pictures depicting disgusting, fearful, neutral, erotic, mirthful and incongruent content, which provides normative values (total N = 368, mean = 120.47 ratings/picture) in valence and arousal dimensions, as well as in discrete affective (disgust, fear, erotica and mirth) and cognitive (incongruence and interest) features. A tentative classification into discrete categories is presented, and the physical properties of each picture are reported. Our findings suggest that MATTER constitutes a modern and suitable set of affective images including, for the first time, both mirth- and incongruence-related pictures. Additionally, it will enable the examination of affective and cognitive processes in fear/disgust and humor/incongruence fields.

This is a pre-print of an article published in Behavior Research Methods. The final authenticated version is available online at: https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428-021-01577-7 Research on emotional processes has been closely related to the use of emotional stimuli, promoting the development of different standardized sets of images. However, some kinds of images that would be relevant in clinical psychology research are not available, especially for small animal phobias. The aim of the present study is to validate a set of animal images that includes images of cockroaches, which are not present in the current sets of images. Two hundred and forty images depicting five types of animals (cockroaches, spiders, snakes, cats, and butterflies) were collected from online public domains. Four hundred and twenty-four participants (72.9% women) took part in the study rating the images in two affective dimensions (i.e., valence and arousal). Cockroach pictures were rated as significantly more unpleasant than pictures of spiders, snakes, butterflies, and cats. Moreover, results revealed that women rated cockroach, spider, and snake pictures as more negative than men did. Also, women in comparison with men rated cockroach images as more arousing. The results highlight the importance of using images of cockroaches, due to their high negative valence, which even exceeds that of snakes and spiders, the unpleasant animals typically used in phobic research. This set of images can be useful in research on small-animal phobias.

Hoy en día, la inteligencia no garantiza la felicidad en nuestro entorno, trabajo o vida social. El éxito personal y profesional no se vincula únicamente a los conocimientos académicamente adquiridos, sino también al dominio de competencias emocionales, cuyo desarrollo ayuda a gestionar las diferentes situaciones estresantes que se dan en el día a día. En este trabajo se describe un programa en educación emocional (SHE) –diseñado e implementado como estudio piloto–, basado en modelos científicos ampliamente conocidos sobre inteligencia (Salovey &y Mayer, 1997) y regulación emocional (Gross &y John, 2003). Mediante dicho programa se pretende poner al alcance de los niños las sinergias creadas por una educación emocional global: niños, profesores y padres. Para ello, se seleccionaron tres muestras de participantes: niños/niñas de 4º de primaria, padres y madres, y profesorado del mismo centro escolar. La intervención consistió en desarrollar e impartir sesiones bi-quincenales sobre educación emocional. Los resultados mostraron efectos significativos sobre el uso de estrategias de regulación emocional –en la muestra de estudiantes y progenitores–, con una disminución de la supresión emocional y un aumento de la reevaluación cognitiva. En el caso de los profesores, disminuyeron las puntuaciones en afecto negativo. Los valores de funcionamiento familiar permanecieron estables tras la intervención. Por último, no se observaron cambios significativos en las habilidades de inteligencia emocional en ninguno de los tres grupos a estudio. Today, intelligence does not guarantee happiness in our environment, work or social life. Personal and professional success is not only related to academic knowledge but also to the domain of emotional competences, whose development helps to manage the different stressful situations that occur on a daily basis. In this paper we describe a program in emotional education (SHE), designed and implemented as a pilot study, based on well-known scientific models of intelligence (Salovey &and Mayer, 1997) and emotional regulation (Gross &and John, 2003). This program aims to make available to children the synergies created by a global emotional education: children, teachers and parents. For this purpose, three samples of participants were selected: children from 4th grade primary, a group of parents of 4th grade and a group of teachers from the same school. The intervention consisted of developing and imparting bi-fortnightly sessions on emotional education. The results showed significant effects on the use of emotional regulation strategies - in student and parent samples - with a decrease in emotional suppression and an increase in cognitive reevaluation. In the case of teachers, the scores on negative affection decreased. The values of family functioning remained stable after the intervention. Finally, no significant changes in emotional intelligence skills were observed in any of the three study groups.

Supplemental material, POM-20-1678.R1_supplementary_materials for Spanish adaptation of a film music stimulus set (FMSS): Cultural and gender differences in the perception of emotions prompted by music excerpts by Nieves Fuentes-Sánchez, Raúl Pastor, Tuomas Eerola and M Carmen Pastor in Psychology of Music

This paper presents the translation, adaptation and validation of a broadly used scale to measure emotion regulation strategies (i.e. The Emotion Regulation Questionnaire Children and Adolescents –ERQ-CA; Gullone & Taffe, 2012) in a sample of early adolescents. The 10-item scale was applied to a sample of 248 adolescents (128 boys) aged 13 to 14 years. Semi-confirmatory factor analysis supported the original two-factor structure: Cognitive Reappraisal and Expressive Suppression (SRMR = .05; RMSEA = .06; CFI = .96). These two factors demonstrate adequate internal consistency and evidence for convergent validity with other scales that refer to emotional intelligence, affect, and behavior. Thus, Cognitive Reappraisal scores were associated with higher self-perceived emotional abilities, positive affect and personal adjustment (ps < .05). Conversely, Expressive Suppression scores were associated with lower self-perceived emotional abilities, positive affect, and personal adjustment (ps < .01), with higher scores on negative affect, school and clinical maladjustment (ps < .01), as well as stress and depression symptoms (ps < .001). Overall, these findings suggest that the questionnaire may be a useful and reliable instrument for the assessment of emotion regulation strategies in early adolescents for future research in Spanish speaking countries.

The presence of solar energy systems has increased significantly in recent years both in rural areas –in the form of solar farms–, and in urban areas as part of building installations. This transformation of the landscape, in spite of the good social acceptance of solar energy, causes an aesthetic impact whose interest has been growing in literature in recent years. This study aimed to review prior literature in order to establish the objective factors, aesthetic perception and methods that are most relevant when assessing the aesthetic impact. As a result of the lack of consensus, a new qualitative methodological framework is proposed that can serve as a basis for future research in the field of the integration of solar energy and its aesthetic impact. The framework comprises three sub-impacts: land use, solar system energy and glare. The results are discussed for future research and innovation in building photovoltaic integration and for SES site location and its environmental impact assessments.

Architecture has become an important field of research on the mitigation of climate change. The 4literature contains a number of environmental studies of buildings conducted using the Life Cycle 5Analysis method, while others have analysed improvements in the energy efficiency. Important advances have also been made by integrating renewable energies within the building envelope. In architecture, however, it must be remembered that the formal aspect is as important as the functional one, and therefore rating the aesthetic perception of these new technologies is very interesting for future innovation projects and their integration within society. This work focuses on the aesthetic impact resulting from the use of photovoltaic systems that can be integrated within the building envelope or installed upon its surface. A survey was conducted using the Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM) to evaluate the feelings that such systems arouse, through two classic dimensions of affect: hedonic valence (pleasant-unpleasant) and arousal (activation or emotional intensity). Overall, results (error range of 5%) show that all the prototypes were rated positively and with a medium level of arousal, but those that use integrated systems obtained higher values in both dimensions of affect. Respondents’ age was observed as an influential factor in these subjective evaluations.

Increased attention among the research community in exploring underlying mecha-nisms of emotion regulation has prompted a growth of experimental works in this field. Empirical studies have mainly focused on self‐reports, brain imaging, and elec-trophysiological measures, with only a few works exploring peripheral physiology. Additionally, most of such studies have not considered the specific stimuli content, even though prior literature has shown relevant differences in psychophysiological and subjective responses depending on picture categories. The current study assessed several peripheral correlates (startle amplitude, electrodermal changes, heart rate) of emotion regulation processes in a sample of 122 healthy participants. The task con-sisted of voluntary reappraisal of negative emotions prompted by unpleasant pictures (threat to others and victims), compared to a nonregulation control condition (look-ing at exemplars of the same categories and household objects). Results showed an effect of emotion regulation instructions in all psychophysiological and subjective measures. In peripheral physiology, greater responses were observed specifically when increasing negative emotions, concurring with previous research. Regarding specific content, our findings evidence a similar emotion regulation pattern, indepen-dently of the unpleasant category, suggesting a plausible effect of cognitive variables (such as cognitive effort) during voluntary reappraisal for both categories.

II Jornadas de investigación para los estudiantes de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud Introducción: La regulación emocional puede definirse como la capacidad para influir sobre qué emociones tenemos, cuándo las tenemos y cómo las experimentamos y expresamos. La mayoría de estudios se han centrado en la reevaluación cognitiva, básicamente utilizando medidas centrales (fmri o erp). Sin embargo, pocos trabajos se han interesado por los correlatos psicofisiológicos periféricos de estos procesos (por ejemplo, reflejo de sobresalto, actividad electrodérmica o variabilidad cardíaca). Método: Tomando como grupo de referencia a la población adulta, en este trabajo se realiza una revisión sistemática de estudios recientes que, utilizando metodologías diversas, aportan evidencia empírica acerca de distintos correlatos psicofisiológicos de regulación emocional. Resultados: El análisis de la literatura experimental permite observar una clara modulación del reflejo de sobresalto, en función de las instruccio- nes de la tarea (i.e., aumento o disminución de emociones negativas o positivas). De manera similar, la conductancia de la piel y la variabilidad cardíaca varían dependien- do del contenido específico y de las instrucciones de la tarea. Conclusión: Estos re- sultados sugieren que los correlatos psicofisiológicos periféricos son un índice fiable de regulación voluntaria del afecto, mostrando cómo ciertas estrategias (como la ree- valuación cognitiva) pueden modular las respuestas fisiológicas. Introduction: Emotional regulation is defined as the ability to influence what emotions we have, when we have them, and how we experience and express them. One of the most investigated strategies of emotional regulation is cognitiva reappraisal, basically using brain measures (fMRI or ERP). However, only a few studies have focused on peripheral psychophysiological correlates of these processes (e.g., startle reftex, electrodermal acivity or cardiac variability). Method: Here, we systematically review recent research focused on heallhy adult population that using diverse methodologies provide empirical evidence regarding different psychophysiological correlates of emotional regulatlon. Results: Results show that startle blink responses are modulated depending on the picture category and task instructions (i.e., increase or decrease of negative and positive emotions). Similarly, skin conductance and heart rate variability differ dependlng on the speclflc content and task instructions. Conclusion: These results suggest that peripheral psychophysiological correlates are a reliable index of voluntary regulation of affect, showing how certain strategies (such as cognitive reappraisal) can modulate physiological responses.

Drawing on the Job-Person Fit Model, this study examines whether the wanted (person) and the actual (job) features fit has similar effects on job related well-being (work engagement and satisfaction) in both men and women. A sample of 840 employees from 29 countries (53% men) participated in this study. The results of the Student's t-test, ANOVA, and hierarchical regression analyses showed that there were no gender differences on perceived job well-being or on the ideal job features but, interestingly, differences did appear for the real job features and fit, with men perceiving better fit and work characteristics. Moreover, it is found that both actual job features and the job-person fit affect men's and women's well-being. Finally, theoretical and practical implications on human resources management and development are discussed. Partiendo del modelo de Ajuste Persona-Puesto, en este estudio se analiza si el ajuste entre las características del trabajo deseadas (persona) y las reales (puesto) influye de igual manera sobre bienestar (engagement y satisfacción laboral) en hombres y mujeres. En este estudio participaron 840 empleados de 29 países de los que el 53% eran hombres. Los resultados de las pruebas t de Student, ANOVA y análisis de regresión jerárquicas mostraron que aunque no hay diferencias de género en cuanto al bienestar percibido ni en las características laborales ideales, sí que las hay en cuanto a las características del puesto reales y en el ajuste, percibiendo siempre los hombres unas mejores características laborales así como un mejor ajuste. Además, se comprueba que tanto las características reales percibidas como el ajuste persona-trabajo influyen en el bienestar de hombres y mujeres. Finalmente, se debaten implicaciones teóricas y aplicadas en los procesos de gestión y desarrollo de recursos humanos.

Introduction: eating disorders (ED) are complex multifactorial chronic diseases with adverse consequences on cognition in adolescence. Objectives: the main aim of the present study was to analyze the association between the risk of ED and academic performance in adolescents, considering the key role of weight status. Methods: a total of 261 adolescents (13.9 ± 0.3 years) from the DADOS (Deporte, Adolescencia y Salud) Study were included in the analysis. The risk of ED was assessed using the Sick Control on Fast Food (SCOFF) questionnaire. Weight status was assessed by body mass index (BMI) (kg/m2 ). Academic performance was assessed through final grades and through the Spanish version of the SRA Test of Educational Ability (TEA). Results: the risk of ED was negatively associated with academic grades, and with verbal and numeric abilities measured through TEA. Adolescents with non-eating disorder risk showed higher scores in academic grades (but not in the TEA components). Overweight and obese adolescents reported higher risk of ED. Conclusions: the risk of ED is negatively associated with academic performance, being higher in overweight and obese adolescents. Interventional programs aimed to improve academic performance should take into account weight status and the risk of ED. Introducción: los trastornos de la conducta alimentaria (TCA) son alteraciones psicológicas severas con graves consecuencias sobre la función cognitiva durante la adolescencia. Objetivos: el principal objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la asociación entre el riesgo de padecer TCA y el rendimiento académico en adolescentes, considerando el papel clave de la composición corporal. Métodos: la muestra estuvo formada por un total de 261 adolescentes (13,9 ± 0,3 años), participantes del proyecto DADOS (Deporte, Adolescencia y Salud). La versión española del cuestionario Sick Control on Fast Food (SCOFF) se utilizó para determinar el riesgo de padecer TCA. La composición corporal se evaluó mediante el índice de masa corporal (IMC) (kg/m2 ). El rendimiento académico fue evaluado mediante las notas finales y mediante la versión española del cuestionario SRA Test of Educational Ability (TEA). Resultados: el riesgo de padecer TCA estuvo inversamente asociado con las notas y con las habilidades verbales y numéricas medidas mediante el TEA. Los adolescentes que no presentaban riesgo de padecer TCA mostraron calificaciones más altas en las notas (pero no en los componentes del cuestionario TEA). Los adolescentes con sobrepeso u obesidad reportaron un mayor riesgo de padecer TCA. Conclusiones: el riesgo de padecer TCA está asociado de forma inversa con el rendimiento académico y es más elevado en adolescentes con sobrepeso u obesidad. Las intervenciones cuyo objetivo sea mejorar el rendimiento académico deberían tener en cuenta la composición corporal y el riesgo de padecer TCA.

Gray’s two-factor model represents motivation in terms of a behavioral inhibition (BIS) and a behavioral activation system (BAS). Although this model has theoretical links to psychopathy, few studies have examined this relationship. In a sample of 326 noninstitutionalized young adults, we examined the relationship of the BIS/BAS dimensions to multiple indices of primary and secondary psychopathy. Across measures of psychopathy, primary but not secondary was related to BIS standing, whereas indices of both psychopathic dimensions demonstrated robust, positive relationships to the BAS. Generally, results support Newman, MacCoon, Vaughn, and Sadeh (2005) distinction between primary and secondary psychopathy on the basis of the BIS. However, positive associations of all psychopathy measures with BAS indices emphasize the role of a common BAS in psychopathy.

This study examined the utility of the MMPI-2 to predict Gray’s BIS/BAS dimensions in a sample of 193 Spanish undergraduates. Although the MMPI-2 is composed of numerous scale indices, we focused on the clinical, content, and the Personality Psychopathology-Five (PSY-5) scales. Overall, findings confirmed hypothesized associations between BIS/BAS factors and MMPI-2 indices. BIS scores demonstrated strong, positive relationships with numerous indices of anxiety, neuroticism, and negative affect, whereas BAS scores were positively related to indices of impulsivity, positive affect, disinhibition, extraversion, and anger. Multiple regression analyses further highlighted PSY-5 Negative Emotionality/Neuroticism scale and content scales of Low Self-esteem and Anxiety as predictors of BIS activity. By contrast, BAS activity was predicted by PSY-5 Positive Emotionality/Extraversion scale, the content scale of Type A Behavior, and the clinical scale of Hypomania. As expected, PSY-5 Constraint scale was a potent predictor of both BIS (positively) and BAS (negatively). Of particular interest, PSY-5 Aggressiveness scale predicted BIS and not BAS activity. Implications of these multivariate formulas for the assessment of BIS and BAS dimensions using the MMPI-2 are discussed.

The behavioral inhibition (BIS) and activation systems (BAS) are featuring prominently in representations of personality and psychopathology. Although theoretical links between the BIS and BAS dimensions and personality disorder (PD) have been offered, little empirical evidence has been forthcoming. In a nonclinical sample of Spanish college students (N = 193), the current study examined the relationship between multiple measures of BIS/BAS and two sets of PD scales derived from the MMPI-2. Overall, findings supported the relationship between BIS and Cluster C PDs (median r = .58) as well as the role of the BAS in Cluster B PDs (median r = .46). However, a mixture of BIS and BAS dimensions was found across Cluster A. Furthermore, strong convergence between two sets of MMPI-2 PD scales with BIS/BAS measures provided additional support for the strength of PD scales in assessing maladaptive personality.

Startle probe modulation during affective picture viewing was assessed in a Spanish prison population. As for North American inmates, psychopaths failed to display normal blink potentiation during unpleasant slides even though their evaluative judgments and autonomic reaction to affective stimuli paralleled those of other inmate and noninmate participants. The results suggest that diminished defense activation characterizes psychopaths despite cultural differences.

Several challenges make it difficult to simultaneously investigate central and autonomous nervous system correlates of conditioned stimulus (CS) processing in classical conditioning paradigms. Such challenges include, for example, the discrepant requirements of electroencephalography (EEG) and electrodermal activity (EDA) recordings with regard to multiple repetitions of conditions and sufficient trial duration. Here, we propose a MultiCS conditioning set-up, in which we increased the number of CSs, decreased the number of learning trials, and used trials of short and long durations for meeting requirements of simultaneous EEG–EDA recording in a differential aversive conditioning task. Forty-eight participants underwent MultiCS conditioning, in which four neutral faces (CS+) were paired four times each with aversive electric stimulation (unconditioned stimulus) during acquisition, while four different neutral faces (CS−) remained unpaired. When comparing after relative to before learning measurements, EEG revealed an enhanced centro-posterior positivity to CS+ vs. CS− during 368–600 ms, and subjective ratings indicated CS+ to be less pleasant and more arousing than CS−. Furthermore, changes in CS valence and arousal were strong enough to bias subjective ratings when faces of CS+/CS− identity were displayed with different emotional expression (happy, angry) in a post-experimental behavioral task. In contrast to a persistent neural and evaluative CS+/CS− differentiation that sustained multiple unreinforced CS presentations, electrodermal differentiation was rapidly extinguished. Current results suggest that MultiCS conditioning provides a promising paradigm for investigating pre–post-learning changes under minimal influences of extinction and overlearning of simple stimulus features. Our data also revealed methodological pitfalls, such as the possibility of occurring artifacts when combining different acquisition systems for central and peripheral psychophysiological measures.

As old as the existence of living beings are the adaptive mechanisms which served to evolve and survive. With the appearance of the reptilian brain, the first emotions arise and since then, the emotional processes have been linked to brain development, increasing in degree and sophistication as species evolve. The maximal expression of emotional development can be found in humans, in which emotions have been considered as central in the growth process. In fact, the balance and the maturation of the connections between the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system determine the emotional experiences in the different stages of life. Taking healthy adult population (without pathologies) as group of comparison, our goal was to perform a literature review of recent experimental research to illustrate the existence of differences and/or similarities in both the expression and emotional experiences in the main evolutionary stages in human beings: childhood, adolescence and old age. In general, the analysis of the experimental literature shows a predisposition to negative emotions in the first months of life and a trend towards positive emotional experiences in old age. On the other hand, adolescence is a period characterized by a great emotional distress. Finally, this essay explores the relationship of the experience and the emotional expression of these stages with the maturation process of the central nervous system. Tan antiguos como la existencia de los seres vivos son los mecanismos de adaptación que les han servido para evolucionar y sobrevivir. Con la aparición del cerebro reptiliano surgieron las primeras emociones y, desde entonces, los procesos emocionales han estado ligados al desarrollo cerebral, aumentando en grado y sofisticación según evolucionaban las especies. La máxima expresión del desarrollo emocional la podemos encontrar en el ser humano, en el que se ha demostrado cómo las emociones son fundamentales en su proceso de crecimiento. De hecho, el equilibrio y la maduración de las conexiones entre el córtex prefrontal y el sistema límbico condicionan la vivencia emocional en las distintas etapas de la vida de las personas. Tomando como «grupo control» la población adulta (con ausencia de patologías), nuestro objetivo es realizar una revisión bibliográfica de trabajos experimentales recientes para ilustrar la existencia de diferencias y/o semejanzas en la expresión y la experiencia emocional en las principales etapas evolutivas del ser humano: infancia, adolescencia y vejez. En general, la mayoría de trabajos experimentales analizados indican una predisposición a experimentar emociones negativas en los primeros meses de vida y una tendencia hacia las experiencias emocionales positivas en la vejez. Por otro lado, la adolescencia se caracteriza, fundamentalmente, por ser una etapa de gran desequilibrio emocional. Finalmente, en el presente trabajo se estudiará la relación de la experiencia y la expresión emocional propias de estas etapas con el proceso de maduración del sistema nervioso central.

NOMAD is a spectrometer suite on board ESA’s ExoMars trace gas orbiter due for launch in January 2016. NOMAD consists of two infrared channels and one ultraviolet and visible channel allowing the instrument to perform observations quasi-constantly, by taking nadir measurements at dayside and nightside, and during solar occultations. In this paper, the design, manufacturing, and testing of the two infrared channels are described. We focus upon the optical working principle in these channels, where an echelle grating, used as a diffractive element, is combined with an acousto-optical tunable filter, used as a diffraction order sorter.

El reconeixement de la importancia del genere en la ciencia es molt recent. Les normatives europees i espanyoles estableixen la necessitat d'incorporar la perspectiva de genere com una categoria transversal en la investigacio i en tots els ambits, i en canvi, per a molts, continua sent el fruit de la tossuderia i el ressentiment d'un grup de feministes incomodes. Aquest llibre inclou contribucions de prestigiosos experts que per primera vegada es reunien a la Universitat Jaume I per tractar sobre salut i emocions, des de la perspectiva del genere.

La emoción ha sido considerada una reacción global, similar y común ante estímulos desencadenantes, caracterizada por una expresión universal y fácilmente reconocible por cualquier individuo. Sin embargo, las emociones también indican, expresan o revelan significados culturales, así como niveles de internalización de normas y valores en personas y grupos sociales. Esta dualidad se ha visto reflejada desde los planteamientos evolucionistas de Darwin hasta la reciente investigación en torno a la regulación emocional. De hecho, ¿somos realmente capaces de reconocer cualquier expresión emocional aislada de su contexto o cultura? ¿Es la expresión emocional similar, innata e inherente a todo ser humano? ¿Expresarán la misma reacción emocional un occidental que un oriental ante un mismo suceso? En este trabajo, realizamos una revisión sistemática de estudios recientes que, mediante metodologías experimentales originales e innovadoras, intentan responder a todas estas cuestiones. En general, la evidencia empírica indica que la expresión y el ajuste emocional dependen en gran medida del contexto, la cultura y el entorno en el que nos desarrollamos. Igualmente revelan la existencia de discrepancias en la percepción emocional de expresiones faciales, al tiempo que nos muestran diferencias sustanciales en las expresiones faciales, gestos y movimientos corporales entre distintas culturas. Todo ello no hace más que destacar el papel modulador de la cultura sobre las emociones humanas y su regulación. Emotion has been considered as a global reaction, similar and common to triggering stimuli, characterized by a universal expression and clearly identified by any individual. However emotions also indicate, express or reveal cultural meanings and internalization levels of norms and values in people and social groups. This duality is reflected from Darwin’s evolutionary approaches to recent researches on emotional regulation. In fact, are we really able to recognize any emotional expression isolated from its context or culture? Are emotional expressions similar, innate and inherent in every human being? Do European and Oriental people react in a similar way when they are involved in the same situation? This essay is a systematic review of current studies about culture and emotion carried out using original and innovative experimental methodologies with the aim of answering all these questions. Overall, the empirical evidence indicates that expression and emotional adjustments depend mainly on the context, culture and the environment where we evolved. They also reveal differences in the perception of emotional facial expressions, and at the same time they show us substantial differences in facial expressions, gestures and body movements across cultures. All these features highlight the moderating role of culture on human emotions and their regulation.

The focus of the present study was on further exploring anticipatory responses to emotional stimuli by measuring the eyeblink startle reflex in a variation of the picture-picture affective learning procedure. Participants (113 undergraduate women) were not explicitly instructed before the experiment began. Instead, they had to learn the specific relations between cues (geometrical shapes) and emotional pictures based on pairings during the first part of the task. Plausible contingency learning effects were tested afterwards, in a parallel sequence of trials including auditory probes during cues and pictures processing during the second part of the task. Results did show the typical affective startle modulation pattern during perception, linear F(1, 200) = 52.67, p < .0001, but unexpected inhibition for both pleasant and unpleasant, compared to neutral cues, during anticipation, quadratic F(1, 200) = 7.07, p < .009. All patterns of startle modulation were independent of cue-picture contingency awareness (all interactions Fs < 1). Skin conductance changes showed the predictable quadratic trend either during picture perception or anticipatory periods (greater activity for emotional vs. neutral; overall quadratic F(1, 224) = 7.04, p < .01), only for participants fully aware of the cue-picture contingency, quadratic F(1, 158) = 5.86, p < .02. Overall, our results during anticipation (cues processing) seem to suggest that more resources were allocated to highly arousing pictures that engage attention. Differences between the present results and prior research may be attributed to procedural variations in the sample, cues, or instructions. Future studies should also explore in more detail the role of the contingency awareness during anticipation.

The present study examined the effects of sustained anticipatory anxiety on the affective modulation of the eyeblink startle reflex. Towards this end, pleasant, neutral and unpleasant pictures were presented as a continuous stream during alternating threat-of-shock and safety periods, which were cued by colored picture frames. Orbicularis-EMG to auditory startle probes and electrodermal activity were recorded. Previous findings regarding affective picture valence and threat-of-shock modulation were replicated. Of main interest, anticipating aversive events and viewing affective pictures additively modulated defensive activation. Specifically, despite overall potentiated startle blink magnitude in threat-of-shock conditions, the startle reflex remained sensitive to hedonic picture valence. Finally, skin conductance level revealed sustained sympathetic activation throughout the entire experiment during threat- compared to safety-periods. Overall, defensive activation by physical threat appears to operate independently from reflex modulation by picture media. The present data confirms the importance of simultaneously manipulating phasic-fear and sustained-anxiety in studying both normal and abnormal anxiety., This work was supported in part by scholarships awarded to F. B. by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and by the State Ministry for Education and Cultural Affairs of Baden-Wuerttemberg (LGFG); a DFG grant Schu 1074/11-2; and the research group: Junta de Andalucía, group: HUM-388.

Este trabajo proporciona los valores normativos españoles de las 358 imágenes que forman los conjuntos 15 a 20 del International Affective Picture System (IAPS). En este estudio participaron 811 estudiantes universitarios (521 mujeres) que evaluaron las imágenes en las dimensiones emocionales de valencia, activación y dominancia. Las correlaciones entre las evaluaciones estadounidenses y las españolas en todas las dimensiones fueron altamente significativas y, como en Estados Unidos, la distribución de las imágenes en el espacio bidimensional afectivo definido por las dimensiones de valencia y activación adoptó la típica forma de boomerang. Los resultados confirmaron, asimismo, las diferencias de género encontradas en Estados Unidos en las evaluaciones de las imágenes aversivas. Estos resultados son totalmente consistentes con los obtenidos en la primera y segunda parte de la adaptación española, y demuestran que la estandarización del IAPS en nuestro país ha sido adecuada. Por último, se ratificaron las pequeñas diferencias transculturales encontradas en las evaluaciones de activación y dominancia: los españoles tendieron a asignar a las imágenes mayores puntuaciones en activación y menores en dominancia que los estadounidenses. Estos datos apoyan los estereotipos culturales de estos países y sugieren que el IAPS podría ser un indicador fiable de diferencias transculturales en la disposición emocional. The Spanish norms for pictures in shows 15 to 20 of the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) are reported in this paper. Participants were 811 undergraduate university students (521 women), who rated the valence, arousal, and dominance of 358 pictures. The correlations between the North-American and the Spanish ratings were all highly significant and, like in the United States, the picture distribution in the bidimensional affective space, defined by the ratings on affective valence and arousal, displayed the typical boomerang shape. Our data also corroborated gender differences in aversive pictures found in North-Americans. These results are fully consistent with those obtained in the first and second part of the Spanish adaptation, and demonstrate that the standardization of IAPS in our country has been successful. Finally, our data confirmed the cross-cultural dif- ferences found in arousal and dominance ratings: Spanish participants tended to assign higher arousal and lower dominance scores to the pictures, as a whole, than North-Americans. These data support the general cultural stereotypes that exist for these countries and suggest that the IAPS might be a reliably index of cultural differences in emotional disposition.

Prior studies have demonstrated that differences in activation of the defensive motivational system – as indexed by cardiac responses to the CS+ during aversive conditioning – are related to differences in the acquisition of two-levels-of-learning: cognitive (contingency learning) and emotional (fear learning). Here we further explored these differences using an independent psychophysiological test to assess cardiac reactivity – Cardiac Defense Response (CDR) – prior to the aversive conditioning task. Participants were then classified as accelerators or decelerators based on the CDR second accelerative component. Both groups showed contingency learning, as indexed by greater skin conductance changes to CS+ than to CS− during acquisition and by consistent contingency awareness ratings after the conditioning task. However, only accelerators showed affective fear learning, as indexed by greater blinks to CS+ than to CS− during (acquisition) and after (extinction) aversive conditioning. These results extend evidence about differences in the two-levels-of-learning in aversive conditioning as a function of defensive reactivity, and suggest that the CDR second accelerative component could be a reliable predictor of fear learning.

Event-related potentials (ERP) were measured when pleasant, neutral or unpleasant pictures were presented in the context of similarly valenced stimuli, and compared to ERPs elicited when the same pictures were viewed in an intermixed context. An early ERP component (150-300 ms) measured over occipital and fronto-central sensors was specific to viewing pleasant pictures and was not affected by presentation context. Replicating previous studies, emotional pictures prompted a larger late positive potential (LPP, 400-700 ms) and a larger positive slow wave (1-6 s) over centro-parietal sensors that also did not differ by presentation context. On the other hand, ERPs elicited when viewing neutral pictures varied as a function of context, eliciting somewhat larger LPPs when presented in blocks, and prompting smaller slow waves over occipital sensors. Taken together, the data indicate that emotional pictures prompt increased attention and orienting that is unaffected by its context of presentation, whereas neutral pictures are more vulnerable to context manipulations. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

La tecnología Blockchain despierta un creciente interés entre los ciudadanos, empresas y legisladores de la Unión Europea. No obstante, acerca de la tecnología de Blockchain, se sigue más de cerca un área en particular, la moneda. El Banco central europeo (BCE), en su informe de febrero 2015 sobre monedas virtuales (criptodivisas), las define como: La representación digital de valor, no emitida por ninguna autoridad bancaria central, institución de crédito o emisor de dinero electrónico reconocido, que, en ciertas ocasiones, puede ser utilizada como medio de pago alternativo al dinero. Sobre esta materia no existe una regulación específica, por lo que, de conformidad a la recomendación realizada por el BCE en el apartado de conclusiones de su informe de 2015, y Resolución del Parlamento Europeo, de 26 de mayo de 2016, sobre monedas virtuales (2016/2007(INI)), nos debemos remitir al marco legislativo actual de supervisión y control monetario, que es el que de momento intenta dar una respuesta a este fenómeno. Puede decirse que, a diferencia del dinero electrónico, lo que persigue el marco legal es evitar la utilización indebida de las Monedas Virtuales para blanquear dinero y financiar el terrorismo. La cuestión, sin embargo, sigue siendo una cuestión legal deslumbrante. No existe una clara determinación de los efectos jurídicos del pago, por ello debemos clarificar su distinción con respecto al dinero de curso legal y el dinero electrónico. Por esta razón nos centraremos en el análisis, de la decisión del Tribunal de Justicia de la Unión Europea Asunto C-264/14 (Skatteverket / David Hedqvist) de 22 de octubre de 2015. Procedimiento prejudicial — Sistema común del impuesto sobre el valor añadido (IVA) — Directiva 2006/112/CE — Artículos 2, apartado 1, letra c), y 135, apartado 1, letras d) a f) — Servicios a título oneroso — Operaciones de cambio de la divisa virtual “bitcoin” por divisas tradicionales — Exención. Blockchain technology is of increasing interest to citizens, businesses and legislators across the European Union. However, about Blockchain technology, is followed by a closer look at particular area, the currency. The European Central Bank (ECB), in its February 2015 report on virtual currencies (cryptocurrencies), defines them as: Digital representation of value, not issued by any central banking authority, credit institution or recognized electronic money issuer, which on certain occasions, can be used as an alternative means of payment to money. On this subject there is no specific regulation, so in accordance with the recommendation made by the ECB in the conclusions section of its 2015 report, and European Parliament resolution of 26 May 2016 on virtual currencies (2016 / 2007 (INI)), we should refer to the current legislative framework for monetary supervision and control, which is currently attempting to respond to this phenomenon. It can be said that, unlike e-cash, what the legal framework pursues is to avoid the misuse of Virtual Coins to launder money and finance terrorism. The issue, however, remains a dazzling legal cuestion. There is no clear determination of the legal effects of payment, therefore we must clarify its distinction with respect to legal tender money and e-cash. For this reason, we will focus on the analysis Court of Justice of the European Union decision. Case C-264/14 (Skatteverket v David Hedqvist) of 22 October 2015. Reference for a preliminary ruling - Common system of value added tax (VAT) - Directive 2006/112 / EC - Articles 2 (1), and 135 (1) (d) to (f) - Services for consideration - Transactions in the traditional currency of bitcoin for traditional currencies – Exemption.