Abstract:In order to find out the mechanism of the calculation under emotional influence, we proposed a cognitive mechanism of simple calculation under different emotional stimuli. By using a paradigm of simple calculation influenced by affective images with positive, neutral, and negative valences, respectively, a contrast between the behavioral experiment and ACT - R cognitive simulation experiment was performed. Twenty-four subjects’ results of simple addition were tested under the different emotional stimuli during the behavioral experiment. Based on the behavioral result, we simulated the cognitive processes of simple calculation under the different emotional influences. As a result, the simulated response time was 2040ms during the positive condition, compared with the actual response time of 2077ms (deviation = 107ms); the simulated response time was 2106ms during the neutral condition, compared with the actual response time of 2090ms (deviation = 98ms); the simulated response time was 2264ms during the negative condition, compared with the actual response time of 2218ms (deviation = 52ms). Our findings indicate that the positive emotional stimuli impose a promoting effect on mental addition, while negative emotional stimuli exert inhibitory effect on mental addition. The simulated response time within our cognitive model is quite close to the actual results, verifying the validity of our hypothesis; the output of information module sequence mutual coordinated process fitted the analysis process, suggesting the logic rationality of our model.