Title: Valence, arousal and dominance in the EEG during game play

Authors: Boris Reuderink; Christian Mühl; Mannes Poel

Addresses: Human Media Interaction, Faculty of EEMCS, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, Enschede 7500 AE, The Netherlands ' Human Media Interaction, Faculty of EEMCS, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, Enschede 7500 AE, The Netherlands ' Human Media Interaction, Faculty of EEMCS, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, Enschede 7500 AE, The Netherlands

Abstract: In this paper, we describe our investigation of traces of naturally occurring emotions in electrical brain signals, that can be used to build interfaces that respond to our emotional state. This study confirms a number of known affective correlates in a realistic, uncontrolled environment for the emotions of valence (or pleasure), arousal and dominance: (1) a significant decrease in frontal power in the theta range is found for increasingly positive valence, (2) a significant frontal increase in power in the alpha range is associated with increasing emotional arousal, (3) a significant right posterior power increase in the delta range correlates with increasing arousal and (4) asymmetry in power in the lower alpha bands correlates with self-reported valence. Furthermore, asymmetry in the higher alpha bands correlates with self-reported dominance. These last two effects provide a simple measure for subjective feelings of pleasure and feelings of control.

Keywords: affective computing; affective signal processing; emotion recognition; EEG; electroencephalograms; BCI; brain-computer interface; alpha asymmetry; frustration; valence; pleasure; arousal; dominance; adaptive communication systems; natural emotions; electrical brain signals; subjective feelings; control; game play.

DOI: 10.1504/IJAACS.2013.050691

International Journal of Autonomous and Adaptive Communications Systems, 2013 Vol.6 No.1, pp.45 - 62

Published online: 13 Sep 2014 *

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