Research

How does our brain store and process the knowledge of emotional concepts?

This research focuses on the neural representation of emotional concept knowledge, specifically how the brain accurately understands one's own and others' emotional responses. The initial step involves constructing an organizational framework for emotional concepts within a multi-dimensional semantic space. This entails categorizing emotions from a generalized to a detailed level and explaining the multi-dimensional characteristics of emotions. Subsequently, we employ functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to observe neural activity patterns when individuals contemplate various emotions. Finally, through pattern analysis, we aim to determine which dimensions or categories best explain these neural representations. This approach seeks to elucidate how the brain processes and comprehends emotional information with greater clarity.

How does the knowledge of emotional concepts influence emotional responses?

Our research aims to understand how people's knowledge of emotional concepts, such as happiness, sadness, and anger, influences their emotional responses in various contexts. This study is divided into three parts. Initially, we explore how individuals use their understanding of emotions to interpret and comprehend specific situations. We then examine how this emotional knowledge is used to predict one's own or others' emotional responses in given contexts. Lastly, our focus shifts to how knowledge of emotional concepts aids in regulating personal emotional responses. To delve deeper into this process, we utilize functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to observe brain activity patterns when processing emotional concepts and responses, complemented by computational modeling to analyze the relationship between knowledge of emotional concepts and emotional reactions.