Dynamic functional integration of distinct neural systems plays a pivotal role in emotional experience. We introduce a novel approach for studying emotion-related changes in the interactions within and between networks using fMRI. It is based on continuous computation of a network cohesion index (NCI), which is sensitive to both strength and variability of signal correlations between pre-define...

Functional neuroimaging studies show substantial individual variation in brain activation accompanying the experience of emotion, including sadness. Here we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 104 pairs of 8-year-old twins (47 MZ, 57 DZ) to assess genetic-environmental contributions to individual differences in neural activation in two prefrontal cortex (PFC) areas previously s...

Although sad films elicit states of sadness and cause onlookers to mourn beloved characters, these media offerings also lead to enjoyment. This paradoxical situation challenges both theoretical approaches and empirical studies in entertainment research. Based on an appraisal-theoretical framework, the present study examined the role of multiple appraisals of recipients’ sadness. It is argued th...

Rumination is a risk factor for aggression and depression, yet few studies have incorporated both aggression and depression in a unitary model that reflects how rumination predicts these distinct conditions. The current study examined rumination on anger and sadness to assess their unique relations with aggression and depressed mood, respectively. Analogous anger rumination and sadness ruminati...

The present study examined the role of stress-related growth and emotion-focused coping in predicting sadness among HIV positive Indian adults. Indeed, findings indicated that both stress-related growth and emotionfocused coping were significant in predicting sadness. Importantly, we found that emotion-focused coping behaviors augmented the prediction of sadness beyond stress-related growth. Sp...

Why do we listen to sad music? We seek to answer this question using a psychological approach. It is possible to distinguish perceived emotions from those that are experienced. Therefore, we hypothesized that, although sad music is perceived as sad, listeners actually feel (experience) pleasant emotions concurrent with sadness. This hypothesis was supported, which led us to question whether sad...