Extending the global workspace theory to emotion: phenomenality without access.

Consciousness is thought to involve temporary connections in thalamo-cortico-cortical networks, with connectivity levels determining conscious state. This study investigated whether emotional compared to neutral facial expressions, presented either unconsciously (masked) or consciously (unmasked), would differently modulate EEG coherence—a measure of neural connectivity. EEG coherence was measured between frontal, parietal, and midline scalp sites. Objective checks confirmed that masked expressions were not consciously identified. Results showed reductions in EEG coherence in the lower frequency range for masked versus unmasked neutral expressions. Crucially, this decline did not occur for emotional expressions. The level of EEG coherence varied with awareness, but not when emotion was involved, suggesting that unconscious emotional processes modulate EEG coherence, extending views on the global workspace architecture of consciousness.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Recent accounts on the global workspace theory suggest that consciousness involves transient formations of functional connections in thalamo-cortico-cortical networks. The level of connectivity in these networks is argued to determine the state of consciousness. Emotions are suggested to play a role in shaping consciousness, but their involvement in the global workspace theory remains elusive. In the present study, the role of emotion in the neural workspace theory of consciousness was scrutinized by investigating, whether unconscious (masked) and conscious (unmasked) display of emotional compared to neutral facial expressions would differentially modulate EEG coherence. EEG coherence was measured by means of computing an average EEG coherence value between the frontal, parietal, and midline scalp sites. Objective awareness checks evidenced that conscious identification of the masked facial expressions was precluded. Analyses revealed reductions in EEG coherence in the lower frequency range for the masked as compared to unmasked neutral facial expressions. Crucially, a decline in EEG coherence was not observed for the emotional facial expressions. In other words, the level of EEG coherence did apparently vary as a function of awareness, but not when emotion was involved. The current finding suggests that EEG coherence is modulated by unconscious emotional processes, which extends common views on the global workspace architecture of consciousness.