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Related Experiment Videos

Manipulating affective state using extended picture presentations

S K Sutton1, R J Davidson, B Donzella

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706, USA. sksutton@facstaff.wisc.edu

Psychophysiology
|March 1, 1997
PubMed
Summary

Extended exposure to positive and negative images effectively altered participants' affective state. Facial muscle activity and self-reports confirmed emotional responses to visual stimuli, demonstrating reliable mood manipulation.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Affective Science
  • Psychophysiology

Background:

  • Understanding affective states is crucial in psychology.
  • Objective measures of emotional responses are needed to validate subjective reports.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effectiveness of extended picture series in manipulating affective state.
  • To assess the utility of psychophysiological measures (orbicularis oculi, corrugator supercilii) and self-reports in detecting these changes.

Main Methods:

  • 24 undergraduates viewed separate, extended series of positive, negative, and neutral pictures over different days.
  • Affective state was measured using orbicularis oculi (eyeblink reflex) and corrugator supercilii (facial EMG) activity, alongside self-report measures.
  • Acoustic startle probes were used during picture presentation to measure eyeblink reflex magnitude.

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Main Results:

  • Participants showed significantly larger eyeblink reflex magnitudes when viewing negative compared to positive pictures.
  • Corrugator supercilii activity was greater during negative than positive picture sets, both during and between presentations.
  • Self-reported negative affect increased after viewing negative pictures, and positive affect increased after viewing positive pictures.

Conclusions:

  • Extended presentation of emotional picture stimuli is an effective method for inducing and measuring changes in affective state.
  • Facial electromyography (EMG) and startle probe measures provide reliable, on-line indicators of affective responses.
  • Findings support the use of psychophysiological measures to complement self-report data in affective science research.