Effects of IAPS-Based Emotional Induction on Cognition Across Age: A Systematic Review

This preregistered protocol describes a systematic review designed to synthesize the literature on the effects of emotion induction using the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) on cognitive performance in younger and older adults. The review follows the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines and has been developed according to the PICOS framework. Eligible studies are quantitative experimental or quasi-experimental investigations involving younger adults (18–35 years) and/or older adults (55 years and above). Studies must use IAPS images to induce emotional states within a cognitive paradigm and assess cognitive performance in domains such as attention, working memory, inhibition, or executive functions. Reviews, meta-analyses, qualitative studies, case reports, and studies not combining IAPS-based emotion induction with cognitive assessment are excluded. A comprehensive literature search will be conducted across PubMed, APA PsycInfo, APA PsycArticles, Academic Search Premier, and Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection using predefined search terms related to IAPS, aging, and cognition. Study selection, data extraction, and eligibility assessment will be performed independently by three reviewers following a standardized procedure, with disagreements resolved through discussion and consensus. This protocol aims to ensure transparency, methodological rigor, and reproducibility throughout the systematic review process.