Neural representation of mixed feelings during real-time processing of negative words in pun-humor

People commonly experience mixed feelings in everyday life. However, whether and to what extent mixed feelings represent a truly simultaneous experience of ambivalent emotional states remains elusive. This electroencephalogram (EEG) study aimed to investigate how mixed feelings blending amusement and negativity are dynamically experienced over time. Specifically, the neural representations of negativity and amusement were quantified during the real-time processing of negative words in pun-humor sentences. The results showed that, compared to non-humor and nonsensical sentences, pun-humor sentences with negative words received higher ratings of both amusement and negativity, indicating that such material can effectively elicit mixed feelings at the level of explicit behavior. Moreover, within the dynamic representation of mixed feelings, negativity was experienced first, whereas amusement was subsequently felt within a brief period, during which negativity was not offset but rather continued to be represented over a longer time span, resulting in the simultaneous presence of both amused and negative feelings. These findings revealed that mixed feelings can be dynamically experienced in the highly simultaneous pattern, offering insights into the genuine blend of conflicting emotional states at the level of neural representation.