Inherent Cognitive Substrates of Specific Emotions: Love is Blocked by Lying but Not Anger

This study investigates inherent relations between emotions and cognitive function. In sentographic experiments 31 subjects generated anger and love through repeated expression with dynamic finger pressure, while in a standardized seated position. They chose a token numbered from 1 to 10 and then had to answer “Yes” to the experimenter's questions whether they chose a particular numbered token, for 10 questions, while experiencing the emotion. In a complementary run, they had to answer “No” to all such questions. Sentographic recordings of the finger pressures were obtained as well as self-ratings of emotional intensity. Lying significantly lowered the self-rated intensity of love but not of anger. Sentographic traces after lying showed a significantly changed form of love expression. The findings support the view that inherent connections exist between specific emotions and particular cognitive processes, as substrates which are part of the nature of the emotion (in this study, love). Lying, even trivial lying, appears to block the feeling of (nonsexual) love, but not of anger. These inherent cognitive substrates can also be expected to play a role in unconscious processes. The experience of love appears to be inherently linked to truthfulness, but anger is not.