Emotion and motivation II: Sex differences in picture processing.

• DOI: 10.1037/1528-3542.1.3.300
• Publication Date: 2005-10-04T19:28:30Z
• Authors: Margaret M. Bradley; Maurizio Codispoti; Dean Sabatinelli; Peter J. Lang
• Keywords: Reactivity; Disposition; Cue reactivity

Adhering to the view that emotional reactivity is organized in part by underlying motivational states--defensive and appetitive--we investigated sex differences activation. Men's women's affective reactions were measured while participants viewed pictures with varied neutral content. As expected, highly arousing contents of threat, mutilation, erotica prompted largest both men women. Nonetheless, women showed a broad disposition respond greater defensive aversive pictures, regardless specific content, whereas increased appetitive activation was apparent for only when viewing erotica. Biological sociocultural factors shaping are considered as possible mediators response.