In the context of a memory task, participants were presented with pictures displaying biological and cultural threat stimuli or neutral stimuli (goal relevance manipulation) with superimposed symbols signaling monetary gains or losses (goal conduciveness manipulation). Results for heart rate and facial electromyogram show differential efferent effects of the respective appraisal outcomes and provide first evidence for sequential processing, as postulated by Scherer's Component Process Model of emotion. It is suggested that different physiological variables can serve as markers of different underlying processes, with activity over the brow region (M. Corrugator supercilii) signaling cognitive processing, heart rate changes representing response mobilization for action preparation, and activity over the cheek region (M. Zygomaticus major) serving communicative purposes.