A sensorimotor control framework for understanding emotional communication and regulation

Journal article

Justin H G Williams, Charlotte F Huggins, Barbra Zupan, Megan Willis, Tamsyn E Van Rheenen, Wataru Sato, Romina Palermo, Catherine Ortner, Martin Krippl, Mariska Kret, Joanne M. Dickson, Chiang-Shan R. Li and Leroy Lowe. (2020). A sensorimotor control framework for understanding emotional communication and regulation. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. 112, pp. 503-518. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.02.014
AuthorsJustin H G Williams, Charlotte F Huggins, Barbra Zupan, Megan Willis, Tamsyn E Van Rheenen, Wataru Sato, Romina Palermo, Catherine Ortner, Martin Krippl, Mariska Kret, Joanne M. Dickson, Chiang-Shan R. Li and Leroy Lowe
Abstract

Our research team was asked to consider the relationship of the neuroscience of sensorimotor control to the language of emotions and feelings. Actions are the principal means for the communication of emotions and feelings in both humans and other animals, and the allostatic mechanisms controlling action also apply to the regulation of emotional states by the self and others. We consider how motor control of hierarchically organised, feedback-based, goal-directed action has evolved in humans, within a context of consciousness, appraisal and cultural learning, to serve emotions and feelings. In our linguistic analysis, we found that many emotion and feelings words could be assigned to stages in the sensorimotor learning process, but the assignment was often arbitrary. The embodied nature of emotional communication means that action words are frequently used, but that the meanings or senses of the word depend on its contextual use, just as the relationship of an action to an emotion is also contextually dependent.

Keywordsemotion; feeling; action; facial expression; motor; sensorimotor; planning; linguistics; emotion regulation; cognitive appraisal; embodied cognition; mirror neurons
Year2020
JournalNeuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
Journal citation112, pp. 503-518
PublisherElsevier Ltd
ISSN0149-7634
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.02.014
Scopus EID2-s2.0-85080066950
Open accessPublished as ‘gold’ (paid) open access
Publisher's version
License
File Access Level
Open
Publication process dates
Deposited27 Apr 2021
Permalink -

https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/8vy3q/a-sensorimotor-control-framework-for-understanding-emotional-communication-and-regulation

Log in to edit

Download files

Publisher's version
OA_Williams_2020_A_sensorimotor_control_framework_for_understanding.pdf
License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
File access level: Open

  • 105
    total views
  • 121
    total downloads
  • 2
    views this month
  • 3
    downloads this month
These values are for the period from 19th October 2020, when this repository was created.

Export as

Related outputs

The Prevalence and Patterns of Maltreatment, Childhood Adversity, and Mental Health Disorders in an Australian Out-Of-Home Care Sample
Harris, Lottie, Higgins, Daryl John, Willis, Megan Louise, Lawrence, David, Mathews, Ben, Thomas, Hannah J, Malacova, Eva, Pacella, Rosana, Scott, James G., Finkelhor, David, Meinck, Franziska, Erskine, Holly E and Haslam, Divna. (2024). The Prevalence and Patterns of Maltreatment, Childhood Adversity, and Mental Health Disorders in an Australian Out-Of-Home Care Sample. Child Maltreatment. pp. 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1177/10775595241246534
The prevalence of peer sexual harassment during childhood in Australia
Hunt, Gabrielle, Higgins, Daryl J., Willis, Megan L., Mathews, Ben, Lawrence, David, Meinck, Franziska, Pacella, Rosana, Thomas, Hannah J, Scott, James G., Erskine, Holly E, Malacova, Eva and Haslam, Divna. (2024). The prevalence of peer sexual harassment during childhood in Australia. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. pp. 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605241245368
The well-being of young adults : The implications of multi-type child maltreatment and the mediating role of betrayal trauma
Jankovic, Cassandra, Higgins, D. and Willis, M.. (2024). The well-being of young adults : The implications of multi-type child maltreatment and the mediating role of betrayal trauma. Child Abuse and Neglect. 153, pp. 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106840
Scoping Review of the Definitions Used to Describe and Understand Harmful Sexual Behaviors in Children and Young People
Hunt, Gabrielle, Higgins, Daryl John, Willis, Megan Louise and Harris, Lottie. (2023). Scoping Review of the Definitions Used to Describe and Understand Harmful Sexual Behaviors in Children and Young People. Trauma, Violence and Abuse: a review journal. pp. 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380231218294
A multi-lab test of the facial feedback hypothesis by the Many Smiles Collaboration
Coles, Nicholas A., March, David S., Marmolejo-Ramos, Fernando, Larsen, Jeff T., Arinze, Nwadiogo C., Ndukaihe, Izuchukwu L. G., Willis, Megan L., Foroni, Francesco, Reggev, Niv, Mokady, Aviv, Forscher, Patrick S., Hunter, John F., Kaminski, Gwenaël, Yüvrük, Elif, Kapucu, Aycan, Nagy, Tamás, Hajdu, Nandor, Tejada, Julian, Freitag, Raquel M. K., ... Liuzza, Marco Tullio. (2022). A multi-lab test of the facial feedback hypothesis by the Many Smiles Collaboration. Nature Human Behaviour. 6, pp. 1731-1742. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-022-01458-9
Emotion recognition and traumatic brain injury : A systematic review and meta-analysis
Murphy, Jillian M., Bennett, Joanne M., de la Piedad Garcia, Xochitl and Willis, Megan L.. (2022). Emotion recognition and traumatic brain injury : A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neuropsychology Review. 32(3), pp. 520-536. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11065-021-09510-7
A multi-country test of brief reappraisal interventions on emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic
Wang, Ke, Goldenberg, Amit, Dorison, Charles A., Miller, Jeremy K., Uusberg, Andero, Lerner, Jennifer S., Gross, James J., Agesin, Bamikole Bamikole, Bernardo, Márcia, Campos, Olatz, Eudave, Luis, Grzech, Karolina, Ozery, Daphna Hausman, Jackson, Emily A., Garcia, Elkin Oswaldo Luis, Drexler, Shira Meir, Jurković, Anita Penić, Rana, Kafeel, Wilson, John Paul, ... Moshontz, Hannah. (2021). A multi-country test of brief reappraisal interventions on emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nature Human Behaviour. 5(8), pp. 1089-1110. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-021-01173-x
To which world regions does the valence–dominance model of social perception apply?
Jones, Benedict C., DeBruine, Lisa M., Flake, Jessica K., Liuzza, Marco Tullio, Antfolk, Jan, Arinze, Nwadiogo C., Ndukaihe, Izuchukwu L. G., Bloxsom, Nicholas G., Lewis, Savannah C., Foroni, Francesco, Willis, Megan L., Cubillas, Carmelo P., Vadillo, Miguel A., Turiegano, Enrique, Gilead, Michael, Simchon, Almog, Saribay, S. Adil, Owsley, Nicholas C., Jang, Chaning, ... Coles, Nicholas A.. (2021). To which world regions does the valence–dominance model of social perception apply? Nature Human Behaviour. 5(1), pp. 159-169. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-020-01007-2
Children show adult-like facial appearance biases when trusting others
Ewing, Louise, Sutherland, Clare A.M. and Willis, Megan L.. (2019). Children show adult-like facial appearance biases when trusting others. Developmental Psychology. 55(8), pp. 1694 - 1701. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000747
Anodal tDCS and high-frequency TRNs targeting the occipitotemporal cortex do not always enhance face perception
Willis, Megan L., Costantino, Andrea I., Nitsche, Michael A., Palermo, Romina and Rivolta, Davide. (2019). Anodal tDCS and high-frequency TRNs targeting the occipitotemporal cortex do not always enhance face perception. Frontiers in Neuroscience. 13(78), pp. 1 - 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2019.00078
The contribution of emotional empathy to approachability judgments assigned to emotional faces is context specific
Willis, Megan, Lawson, Danielle, Ridley, Nicole, Koval, Peter and Rendell, Peter. (2015). The contribution of emotional empathy to approachability judgments assigned to emotional faces is context specific. Frontiers in Psychology (online). 6, pp. 1 - 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01209
Anodal tDCS targeting the right orbitofrontal cortex enhances facial expression recognition
Willis, Megan L., Murphy, Jillian M., Ridley, Nicole J. and Vercammen, Ans. (2015). Anodal tDCS targeting the right orbitofrontal cortex enhances facial expression recognition. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. 10(12), pp. 1677 - 1683. https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsv057
Situational context and perceived threat modulate approachability judgements to emotional faces
Willis, Megan, Windsor, Natalie, Lawson, Danielle and Ridley, Nicole. (2015). Situational context and perceived threat modulate approachability judgements to emotional faces. PLoS One (online). 10(6), pp. 1 - 15. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0131472
The nature of facial expression recognition deficits following orbitofrontal cortex damage
Willis, Megan, Palermo, Romina, McGrillen, Ky and Miller, Laurie. (2014). The nature of facial expression recognition deficits following orbitofrontal cortex damage. Neuropsychology. 28(4), pp. 613 - 623. https://doi.org/10.1037/neu0000059
The relationship between anxiety and the social judgements of approachability and trustworthiness
Willis, Megan, Dodd, Helen F. and Palermo, Romina. (2013). The relationship between anxiety and the social judgements of approachability and trustworthiness. PLoS ONE. 8(10), pp. 1 - 5. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0076825
Social judgements are influenced by both facial expression and direction of eye gaze
Willis, Megan Louise, Palermo, Romina and Burke, Darren. (2011). Social judgements are influenced by both facial expression and direction of eye gaze. Social cognition. 29(4), pp. 415 - 429. https://doi.org/10.1521/soco.2011.29.4.415
Impaired holistic coding of facial expression and facial identity in congenital prosopagnosia
Palermo, Romina, Willis, Megan Louise, Rivolta, Davide, McKone, Elinor, Wilson, C Ellie and Calder, Andrew. (2011). Impaired holistic coding of facial expression and facial identity in congenital prosopagnosia. Neuropsychologia. 49(5), pp. 1226 - 1235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2011.02.021
Judging Approachability on the Face of It :The Influence of Face and Body Expressions on the Perception of Approachability
Willis, Megan Louise, Palermo, Romina and Burke, Darren. (2011). Judging Approachability on the Face of It :The Influence of Face and Body Expressions on the Perception of Approachability. Emotion. 11(3), pp. 514 - 523. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0022571
Switching associations between facial identity and emotional expression : A behavioural and ERP study
Willis, Megan Louise, Palermo, Romina, Burke, Darren, Atkinson, Carmen and McArthur, Genevieve. (2010). Switching associations between facial identity and emotional expression : A behavioural and ERP study. NeuroImage. 50(1), pp. 329 - 339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.11.071
Orbitofrontal cortex lesions result in abnormal social judgements to emotional faces
Willis, Megan Louise, Palermo, Romina, Burke, Darren, McGrillen, Ky and Miller, Laurie. (2010). Orbitofrontal cortex lesions result in abnormal social judgements to emotional faces. Neuropsychologia. 48(7), pp. 2182 - 2187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2010.04.010