AFFECTIVE MODULATION OF TACTILE STARTLE

Two studies were conducted to investigate affective modulation of star tle responses to unilateral tactile probes and to determine whether su ch modulation is lateralized. Right-handed undergraduates received air puffs to the left or right temple while viewing pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant pictures. Side of probe presentation was varied between th e two trial blocks of the experiment in Study 1 (n = 48) but varied ra ndomly within trial blocks in Study 2 (n = 48). Primary results were c onsistent across studies. Replicating and extending the findings for a coustic probes, eyeblink responses to tactile probes were larger durin g unpleasant than during pleasant pictures. However, affective modulat ion of startle did not differ reliably between the two sides of probe presentation (sensory laterality) or the two sides of the response (mo tor laterality) in either study or in a combined analysis.