Abstract

This study assessed whether frontal brain asymmetry(FBA) can predict affective style. Resting electroencephalographic(EEG) activity was recorded from male and female adults participants during both 5 eyes-open and 5 eyes-closed 60-s baselines on 1 measurement occasion. Mean alpha power asymmetry was extracted in midfrontal and lateral-frontal sites. For the midfrontal site, but not the lateral-frontal site, there was a significant relationship between relative left anterior activation and increased positive affect and relative right anterior activation was significantly related to negative affect. Contrary to predictions, FBA was unrelated to anxiety in two sites. This results suggest that midfrontal FBA may be a state-independent measure of affective style. Theoretical and methodological implications of these findings are discussed.