Joining up trait measures and brain activation to predict response to cake

Two new studies in 'Psychophysiology' have pointed to greater left frontal than right frontal brain activation for approach and 'emotive' response tendencies. Together these studies show that the appetative response depends largely on left frontal activation relative to right and that this can be assessed by a trait measure of behavioural approach system (BAS) (r=.36). On the other hand there is a behavioural inhibition system (BIS) trait measure which does not correlate with behavioural approach (r=-.03) and is predictive of brain activation related to conflict monitoring (r=-.41).

"These findings extend previous models of BIS and BAS to suggest that BIS corresponds to an attentional system for monitoring response conflicts, whereas BAS corresponds to a motivational system for coordinating approach/avoidance responses."

for more:

(1) Neurocognitive components of the behavioral inhibition and activation systems: Implications for theories of self-regulation


(2) Relative left frontal activation to appetitive stimuli