[Effect of motor perceptions on affective judgment of attractive and unattractive portraits]

Two experiments are reported that investigate the influence of motor components of approach versus avoidance behavior on the evaluation of attractive versus unattractive photographs of persons. On the basis of prior body feedback research (Cacioppo, Priester & Berntson, 1993) it could be shown that approach behavior (arm flexion) leads to more positive evaluations than avoidance behavior (arm extension). This effect was obtained for online judgments as well as memory based judgments. Additionally, in Experiment 1, the influence of arm position was more pronounced, when arm position and photograph shared the same valence (arm flexion and attractive photos and arm extension and unattractive photos), whereas no influence on evaluation was observed when the valence of arm position and photograph was unshared (arm flexion and unattractive photos and arm extension and attractive photos). However, in Experiment 2, these results could only be replicated for attractive portraits, whereas for unattractive portraits both arm flexion and arm extension led to lower ratings compared to a control group. The results are discussed within the framework of a proposed contingency model that in general predicts body feedback effects only in the case of compatibility between the valence of expression and information. Furthermore, in Experiment 2 some evidence was obtained that qualifies that effect as automatic, inasmuch as increased distraction from evaluating the photographs bolstered the effect.