Figure 1.

Emotional perception and processing stages. After stimulus presentation (subliminal or supraliminal) the central emotion perception and processing stages are: (1) the identification and appraisal of stimulus significance, taking place with or without conscious awareness; (2) the generation of an affective state, expression of emotion and behavioral response; and (3) up or down regulation (circles with positive/negative signs) of the affective state and identification process. Modified from Phillips et al. [15].