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Motivational Objects in Natural Scenes (MONS): A Database of >800 Objects
Judith Schomaker1, Elias M Rau1, Wolfgang Einhäuser2,3
1Department of Psychology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
Frontiers in Psychology
|October 17, 2017
Summary
Researchers created the Motivational Objects in Natural Scenes (MONS) database, featuring images with controlled appetitive, aversive, and neutral motivational values. This resource aids studies on motivation using realistic visual stimuli.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Computer Vision
Background:
- Motivational associations are inherent in everyday objects but often uncontrolled in experimental settings.
- A need exists for standardized stimuli with well-defined motivational properties for research on naturalistic settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- Introduce the Motivational Objects in Natural Scenes (MONS) database.
- Provide a standardized resource for studying motivation and object perception in realistic contexts.
Main Methods:
- Developed 107 scenes with 2-7 objects each, creating three versions per scene by replacing a critical object.
- Varied scenes to be appetitive, aversive, or neutral while maintaining visual similarity.
- Collected ratings on motivation (desire to own, approach/avoid, desire to interact), valence, arousal, and recognizability from independent observers for objects and scenes.
Main Results:
- Categorized 805 objects into aversive, neutral, and appetitive based on motivational ratings.
- Collected data on individual objects, critical objects in context, and entire scenes.
- Ensured high visual similarity across different motivational versions of scenes.
Conclusions:
- The MONS database offers a valuable, standardized tool for investigating motivational value in naturalistic conditions.
- Facilitates future research on motivation, decision-making, and perception using controlled, realistic stimuli.
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