The Relationship Between Bodily, Autonomic, and Communicative Behaviors and the Experiential and Cognitive Aspects of Emotion

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Emotions constitute a complex adaptive system to events and social interactions that challenge an individual. At a basic level, the main function of emotions is to respond in a quick and automatic manner to threatening environmental and social situations that include vegetative and somatic motor reactions. In addition, emotions may elicit higher-order cognitive responses that involve expressive communication with co-specifics and long-term behavioral responses to cope with challenging or novel environmental situations.

The aim of the present topic is to solicit theoretical, neurophysiological, and neuropsychological papers that contribute to clarifying the different aspects of emotions and related behaviors.

Prof. Dr. Elliott D. Ross
Prof. Dr. Guido Gainotti
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Brain Sciences brainsci	2.7	4.8	2011	15.6 Days	CHF 2200	Submit
Neurology International neurolint	3.2	3.7	2009	26.5 Days	CHF 1600	Submit
NeuroSci neurosci	1.6	-	2020	19.9 Days	CHF 1000	Submit

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Open AccessArticle

Validation of a New Stress Induction Protocol Using Speech Improvisation (IMPRO)

by Marina Saskovets, Mykhailo Lohachov and Zilu Liang

Brain Sci. 2025, 15(5), 522; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15050522 - 19 May 2025

Abstract

Background: Acute stress induction is essential in psychology research for understanding physiological and psychological responses. In this study, ‘acute stress’ refers to a short-term, immediate stress response—distinct from chronic, long-term stress exposure. Traditional methods, such as the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), have [...] Read more.

Background: Acute stress induction is essential in psychology research for understanding physiological and psychological responses. In this study, ‘acute stress’ refers to a short-term, immediate stress response—distinct from chronic, long-term stress exposure. Traditional methods, such as the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), have ecological validity and resource-efficiency limitations. This study introduces the Interactive Multitask Performance Response Observation (IMPRO) protocol, a novel stress-induction method utilizing speech improvisation in a dynamic and unpredictable social setting. Methods: Thirty-five healthy adults (aged 18–38 years; 19 males, 16 females) participated in the study. The IMPRO protocol consisted of three speech improvisation tasks with increasing cognitive and social stressors. Salivary cortisol was used as a biochemical marker of acute stress, while electrodermal activity (EDA) provided real-time autonomic arousal measurements. Stress responses were assessed using paired t-tests for cortisol levels and repeated-measures ANOVA for EDA variations across experimental stages. Results: Salivary cortisol levels significantly increased from baseline (M = 2.68 nM, SD = 0.99) to post-task (M = 3.54 nM, SD = 1.25, p = 0.001, Cohen’s d = 0.59), confirming hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis activation. EDA showed a significant rise during the anticipation phase (p < 0.001), peaking at the final task and decreasing during recovery (η² = 0.643). Conclusions: The IMPRO protocol effectively induces acute stress responses, providing a scalable, ecologically valid alternative to traditional stress paradigms. Its low-cost, adaptable design makes it ideal for research in psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral sciences. Future studies should explore its application in clinical populations and group settings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic The Relationship Between Bodily, Autonomic, and Communicative Behaviors and the Experiential and Cognitive Aspects of Emotion)

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