Abstract: The embedded figure test and dot probe paradigm were adopted to explore the influence of cognitive style on attention bias of emotional information in the present study. The results showed that: 1) The field-independent persons attentional bias scores for the negative emotional information were significantly larger than the positive emotional information and the field-dependent persons attentional bias scores for the positive emotional information were significantly larger than the negative emotional information; 2) In the condition of consistent probe position, the reaction time of the field-independent person to the negative emotional information and the reaction time of the field-dependent person to the positive emotional information were less than the neutral emotional information; 3) In the condition of inconsistent probe position, the reaction time of the field-independent person to the negative emotional information and the reaction time of the field-dependent person to the positive emotional information were greater than the neutral emotional information. In conclusion, the field-independent person has an attentional bias toward the negative emotional information, and the field-dependent person has an attentional bias toward the positive emotional information, both of which show the facilitated attention and the difficulty in attention disengagement. This result helps us to understand the attentional bias characteristics of different cognitive style individuals on emotional information, and to predict the individuals mental health level and provide guidance and suggestions.

Key words: cognitive style, emotional information, attentional bias, dot probe paradigm