Frontal brain electrical activity (EEG) distinguishes valence and intensity of musical emotions

Using recent regional brain activation/emotion models as a theoretical fram ework, we examined whether the pattern of regional EEG activity distinguish ed emotions induced by musical excerpts which were known to vary in affecti ve valence (i.e., positive vs. negative) and intensity (i.e., intense vs. c alm) in a group of undergraduates. We found that the pattern of asymmetrica l frontal EEG activity distinguished valence of the musical excerpts. Subje cts exhibited greater relative left frontal EEG activity to joy and happy m usical excerpts and greater relative right frontal EEG activity to fear and sad musical excerpts. We also found that, although the pattern of frontal EEG asymmetry did not distinguish the intensity of the emotions, the patter n of overall frontal EEG activity did, with the amount of frontal activity decreasing from fear to joy to happy to sad excerpts. These data appear to be the first to distinguish valence and intensity of musical emotions on fr ontal electrocortical measures.