Neural representations and functional connections underlie subjective positive affect

Different daily life experiences can evoke positive feelings that guide our behaviors. Research on mechanisms of positive feelings often assesses rewarding experiences, like winning money, yet daily positive experiences are dynamic and multifaceted. Positive feelings linked to these experiences are subjective and varied. We built computational models that use brain activation patterns and functional connections to predict participants' positive affect ratings related to different experiences. We demonstrate that subjective positive affect is encoded in widespread patterns of neural activity and functional integration between brain regions. We show that experience-specific positive affect is sparsely encoded in activity patterns and functional connections involving sensory processing regions. Our findings show that positive feelings are encoded via complementary mechanisms throughout the brain.