Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) for Testing Emotions: An Experimental Study on Negation in French L2

Abstract

This experimental study aims to investigate the affective state of Arabic-speaking learners while reading negative sentences in French as a second language (L2) using a Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) system based on electroencephalography (EEG). The study focuses on learners’ emotional responses during the processing of two types of negation in French: metalinguistic negation (MN) and descriptive negation (DN). Five emotional dimensions were examined: frustration, engagement, meditation, and both short-term and long-term excitement. We hypothesize that the type of negation influences learners’ emotional states. Both metalinguistic and descriptive negations may elicit frustration and engagement, as they require access to meta-representational elements in the L2. Processing negation in a second language involves increased cognitive effort, including the activation of linguistic, contextual, and inferential representations, which may directly affect emotional responses. A BCI system was implemented to measure emotional variations during reading tasks involving negative sentences presented in both Arabic (L1) and French (L2), allowing for cross-linguistic comparison. The findings indicate a high level of engagement during the processing of negative sentences, suggesting strong cognitive involvement. In contrast, meditation-related indices were low, reflecting a state of sustained attention rather than relaxation while reading negative sentences in French L2. The results further reveal that both frustration and engagement levels were particularly high at the beginning of the reading tasks but gradually decreased over time. This pattern may reflect a process of cognitive adaptation, as learners become more familiar with the task demands and linguistic structures. Overall, the study highlights the close interaction between linguistic processing and affective dynamics in second language acquisition, emphasizing the importance of integrating emotional dimensions into psycholinguistic research on L2 learning.