Emotional response to images of wind turbines: A psychophysiological study of their visual impact on the landscape

Social acceptance for wind turbines is variable, providing a challenge to the implementation of this energy source. Psychological research could contribute to the science of climate change. Here we focus on the emotional responses to the visual impact of wind turbines on the landscape, a factor which dominates attitudes towards this technology. Participants in the laboratory viewed images of turbines and other constructions (churches, pylons and power-plants) against rural scenes, and provided psychophysiological and self-report measures of their emotional reactions. We hypothesised that the emotional response to wind turbines would be more negative and intense than to control objects, and that this difference would be accentuated for turbine opponents. As predicted, the psychophysiological response to turbines was stronger than the response to churches, but did not differ from that of other industrial constructions. In contrast with predictions, turbines were rated as less aversive and more calming compared with other industrial constructions, and equivalent to churches. Supporters and non-supporters did not differ significantly from each other. We discuss how a methodology using photo manipulations and emotional self-assessments can help estimate the emotional reaction to the visual impact on the landscape at the planning stage for new wind turbine applications.

Post-disaster coping in Aceh : sociocultural factors and emotional response

This chapter describes how disaster survivors in the Indonesian province of Aceh responded to the unprecedented level of international aid following the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004. It is based on research conducted by Ismet fanany, as part of an Outside Studies program supported by Deakin University, and centers on the conceptualization of disasterr of the survivors, the role religion and traditional culture played in their ability to cope, and their emotional state in relation to their perception of the cause of the event.

Emotional responses to filmed violence and the eye blink startle response

The study assessed gender differences in emotional responses to violent film. Both subjective emotional response and eye blink startle magnitude were assessed while 20 men and 20 women viewed a series of five violent film segments and five nature scenes. Participants exhibited higher levels of curiosity, anxiety, disgust, and anger, and lower levels of positive emotion and boredom in response to the violent film segments in comparison with the nature material. Startle response was magnified during the violent film segments, indicating an aversive response. Evidence that men and women responded to the violence differently was demonstrated by men' experiencing greater positive feelings, entertainment, and curiosity in relation to the violent film, whereas women reported more disgust, boredom, anger, and experienced greater startle in relation to the violent scenes portrayed in the film. Future directions for investigating filmed violence are outlined.

Sexual and emotional variables influencing sexual response to erotica: a psychophysiological investigation

The relative contribution of attentional and emotional factors to the physiological and subjective sexual arousal elicited by erotic film was evaluated. Sexual arousal, attentional, and emotional responses were measured while 30 men were presented with a series of erotic film segments. Levels of physiological and subjective sexual arousal were higher when subjects became absorbed in the activities portrayed in the film and when they experienced the depicted erotic encounters as appetitive, than when they were distracted and perceived the encounters as aversive. The erotic film elicited a diminished startle response to a sudden burst of white noise presented during stimulation relative to the nature film, suggesting that at a physiological level the erotic segments of film were processed as more appetitive in valence. The level of sexual arousal elicited by the erotic segments was related to the extent to which subjects were entertained by the film, even though there was considerable anxiety generated by the portrayed sexual scenarios. Sexual response was not significantly correlated with trait measures of absorption (as indexed by the Tellegen Absorption Scale) nor with vividness of imagery (as assessed by the Betts Questionnaire upon Mental Imagery). Arousal was related to state-assessed attentional and emotional variables, and physiological measures of emotional response, demonstrating the multidimensional nature of the sexual response Future directions for comparing male sexual response patterns with female response patterns are suggested.

Emotional habituation to filmed violence employing the startle probe response

This thesis reports on research examining the habituation of emotional variables to filmed violence. The following subjective emotional variables were assessed: positive feelings, anxiety, disgust, entertainment and anger. In addition, an objective measure of emotional response was recorded physiologically, using the startle eyeblink response. The mediating influence of personality, individual differences and contextual features on an individuals’ perception of and reaction to filmed violence were also explored. Study one was exploratory in nature served to identify and select the film stimuli to be employed in the subsequent studies. The primary aim of the study was to allow for the identification of violent stimuli considered to be most socially and culturally relevant. The present research builds on existing scientific literature which has began to appreciate that differences in the context of a portrayal holds important implications for its impact on viewers. Thus, a secondary and more specific desire of study one was to obtain an evaluation of the contextual features of the violent film segments. A sample of 30 participants viewed and rated the film stimuli on the variables of realism, fantasy and violence. From this exploratory study four violent film stimuli were subsequently employed. Study 2 used the eyeblink startle response proposed by Vrana, Spence and Lang (1988) to explore the habituation of emotional variables to a realistic depiction of filmed violence. Emotional response was assessed both objectively, using the eyeblink startle response and subjectively through individuals self-reports. In addition the study investigated the significance of individual differences as mediators of emotional response. Questionnaire and physiological data were obtained from 30 participants. Overall, repeated exposure to filmed violence resulted in a decline in both objective and subjective emotional response. Differences were identified in the manner in which men and women responded to the film. Women reacted initially and over time with more intense physiological and psychological reactions to the violent film than males. Specifically, men displayed more curiosity and reported greater entertainment and positive feelings in response to the film, whilst women found the violence more disgusting and reported higher levels of anger and anxiety. It was found that the eyeblink startle magnitude paralleled the subjective emotional processing of the violent film, thus providing further confirmatory evidence of its validity in the investigation of emotional reactions to a stimulus. Personality factors were found to mediate emotional response to filmed violence, with neuroticism most powerfully implicated. High levels of neuroticism were found to be associated with greater anger and anxiety and less positive feelings whilst viewing violent film. A high score on extraversion was correlated with higher levels of anger and lower levels of curiosity and entertainment. Whilst the aims of study 3 were identical to that of study 2, a variation in the contextual feature of the violent film stimuli under investigation was the distinguishing and pertinent feature. Study 2 provided data on the habituation of emotional response to a realistic depiction of filmed violence. Study 3 was concerned with emotional response over repeated exposure to a fantasized violent depiction. Therefore, allowing for a comparison regarding the effects of context on emotional response. The results of study 3, with respect to habituation of emotional response, personality and individual differences, were similar to that obtained in study 2. A comparison of the two studies, however, revealed that individuals responded significantly different to the contextual features of the violent portrayal. Compared to the fantasised portrayal the realistic film stimulus was reported to be more digusting, anxiety provoking and less entertaining. In addition, and not surprisingly respondents reported that the realistic portrayal resulted in the production of more anger and less positive feelings.

Emotional engagement and orienting: the effects of picture size on affective response

For their survival, humans and animals can rely on motivational systems which are specialized in assessing the valence and imminence of dangers and appetitive cues. The Orienting Response (OR) is a fundamental response pattern that an organism executes whenever a novel or significant stimulus is detected, and has been shown to be consistently modulated by the affective value of a stimulus. However, detecting threatening stimuli and appetitive affordances while they are far away compared to when they are within reach constitutes an obvious evolutionary advantage. Building on the linear relationship between stimulus distance and retinal size, the present research was aimed at investigating the extent to which emotional modulation of distinct processes (action preparation, attentional capture, and subjective emotional state) is affected when reducing the retinal size of a picture. Studies 1-3 examined the effects of picture size on emotional response. Subjective feeling of engagement, as well as sympathetic activation, were modulated by picture size, suggesting that action preparation and subjective experience reflect the combined effects of detecting an arousing stimulus and assessing its imminence. On the other hand, physiological responses which are thought to reflect the amount of attentional resources invested in stimulus processing did not vary with picture size. Studies 4-6 were conducted to substantiate and extend the results of studies 1-3. In particular, it was noted that a decrease in picture size is associated with a loss in the low spatial frequencies of a picture, which might confound the interpretation of the results of studies 1-3. Therefore, emotional and neutral images which were either low-pass filtered or reduced in size were presented, and affective responses were measured. Most effects which were observed when manipulating image size were replicated by blurring pictures. However, pictures depicting highly arousing unpleasant contents were associated with a more pronounced decrease in affective modulation when pictures were reduced in size compared to when they were blurred. The present results provide important information for the study of processes involved in picture perception and in the genesis and expression of an emotional response. In particular, the availability of high spatial frequencies might affect the degree of activation of an internal representation of an affectively charged scene, and might modulate subjective emotional state and preparation for action. Moreover, the manipulation of stimulus imminence revealed important effects of stimulus engagement on specific components of the emotional response, and the implications of the present data for some models of emotions have been discussed. In particular, within the framework of a staged model of emotional response, the tactic and strategic role of response preparation and attention allocation to stimuli varying in engaging power has been discussed, considering the adaptive advantages that each might represent in an evolutionary view. Finally, the identification of perceptual parameters that allow affective processing to be carried out has important methodological applications in future studies examining emotional response in basic research or clinical contexts.

E-motion diaries : blogging emotional responses to online learning in higher education

Emotions are inherently social, and are central to learning, online interaction and literacy practices (Shen, Wang, & Shen, 2009). Demonstrating the dynamic sociality of literacy practice, we used e-motion diaries or web logs to explore the emotional states of pre-service high school teachers’ experiences of online learning activities. This is because the methods of communication used by university educators in online learning and writing environments play an important role in fulfilling students’ need for social interaction and inclusion (McInnerney & Roberts, 2004). Feelings of isolation and frustration are common emotions experienced by students in many online learning environments, and are associated with the success or failure of online interactions and learning (Su, et al., 2005). The purpose of the study was to answer the research question: What are the trajectories of pre-service teachers’ emotional states during online learning experiences? This is important because emotions are central to learning, and the current trend toward Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) needs research about students’ emotional connections in online learning environments (Kop, 2011). The project was conducted with a graduate class of 64 high school science pre-service teachers in Science Education Curriculum Studies in a large Australian university, including males and females from a variety of cultural backgrounds, aged 22-55 years. Online activities involved the students watching a series of streamed live lectures for the first 5 weeks providing a varied set of learning experiences, such as viewing science demonstrations (e.g., modeling the use of discrepant events). Each week, students provided feedback on learning by writing and posting an e-motion diary or web log about their emotional response. Students answered the question: What emotions did you experience during this learning experience? The descriptive data set included 284 online posts, with students contributing multiple entries. Linguistic appraisal theory, following Martin and White (2005), was used to regroup the 22 different discrete emotions reported by students into the six main affect groups – three positive and three negative: unhappiness/happiness, insecurity/security, and dissatisfaction/satisfaction. The findings demonstrated that the pre-service teachers’ emotional responses to the streamed lectures tended towards happiness, security, and satisfaction within the typology of affect groups – un/happiness, in/security, and dis/satisfaction. Fewer students reported that the streamed lectures triggered negative feelings of frustration, powerlessness, and inadequacy, and when this occurred, it often pertained to expectations of themselves in the forthcoming field experience in classrooms. Exceptions to this pattern of responses occurred in relation to the fifth streamed lecture presented in a non-interactive slideshow format that compressed a large amount of content. Many students responded to the content of the lecture rather than providing their emotional responses to this lecture, and one student felt “completely disengaged”. The social practice of online writing as blogs enabled the students to articulate their emotions. The findings primarily contribute new understanding about students' wide range of differing emotional states, both positive and negative, experienced in response to streamed live lectures and other learning activities in higher education external coursework. The is important because the majority of previous studies have focused on particular negative emotions, such as anxiety in test taking. The research also highlights the potentials of appraisal theory for studying human emotions in online learning and writing.

Electroencephalographic Activity in Response to Procedural Pain in Preterm Infants Born at 28 and 33 Weeks Gestational Age

OBJECTIVES:: Preterm infants undergo frequent painful procedures in the neonatal intensive care unit. Electroencephalography (EEG) changes in reaction to invasive procedures have been reported in preterm and full-term neonates. Frontal EEG asymmetry as an index of emotion during tactile stimulation shows inconsistent findings in full-term infants, and has not been examined in the context of pain in preterm infants. Our aim was to examine whether heel lance for blood collection induces changes in right-left frontal asymmetry, suggesting negative emotional response, in preterm neonates at different gestational age (GA) at birth and different duration of stay in the neonatal intensive care unit. MATERIALS AND METHODS:: Three groups of preterm infants were compared: set 1: group 1 (n=24), born and tested at 28 weeks GA; group 2 (n=22), born at 28 weeks GA and tested at 33 weeks; set 2: group 3 (n=25), born and tested at 33 weeks GA. EEG power was calculated for 30-second artifact-free periods, in standard frequency bandwidths, in 3 phases (baseline, up to 5 min after heel lance, 10 min after heel lance). RESULTS:: No significant differences were found in right-left frontal asymmetry, or in ipsilateral or contralateral somatosensory response, across phases. In contrast, the Behavioral Indicators of Infant Pain scores changed across phase (P

Temporal dynamics of emotional responding: amygdala recovery predicts emotional traits

An individual’s affective style is influenced by many things, including the manner in which an individual responds to an emotional challenge. Emotional response is composed of a number of factors, two of which are the initial reactivity to an emotional stimulus and the subsequent recovery once the stimulus terminates or ceases to be relevant. However, most neuroimaging studies examining emotional processing in humans focus on the magnitude of initial reactivity to a stimulus rather than the prolonged response. In this study, we use functional magnetic resonance imaging to study the time course of amygdala activity in healthy adults in response to presentation of negative images. We split the amygdala time course into an initial reactivity period and a recovery period beginning after the offset of the stimulus. We find that initial reactivity in the amygdala does not predict trait measures of affective style. Conversely, amygdala recovery shows predictive power such that slower amygdala recovery from negative images predicts greater trait neuroticism, in addition to lower levels of likability of a set of social stimuli (neutral faces). These data underscore the importance of taking into account temporal dynamics when studying affective processing using neuroimaging.

Emotional responses to Hindustani raga music: the role of musical structure

In Indian classical music, ragas constitute specific combinations of tonic intervals potentially capable of evoking distinct emotions. A raga composition is typically presented in two modes, namely, alaap and gat. Alaap is the note by note delineation of a raga bound by a slow tempo, but not bound by a rhythmic cycle. Gat on the other hand is rendered at a faster tempo and follows a rhythmic cycle. Our primary objective was to (1) discriminate the emotions experienced across alaap and gat of ragas, (2) investigate the association of tonic intervals, tempo and rhythmic regularity with emotional response. 122 participants rated their experienced emotion across alaap and gat of 12 ragas. Analysis of the emotional responses revealed that (1) ragas elicit distinct emotions across the two presentation modes, and (2) specific tonic intervals are robust predictors of emotional response. Specifically, our results showed that the ‘minor second’ is a direct predictor of negative valence. (3) Tonality determines the emotion experienced for a raga where as rhythmic regularity and tempo modulate levels of arousal. Our findings provide new insights into the emotional response to Indian ragas and the impact of tempo, rhythmic regularity and tonality on it.

‘Rapt up with joy’: children’s emotional responses to death in early modern England

The chapter is an investigation of the child’s emotional response to death in early modern England. While much valuable scholarship has been produced on parents’ responses to the deaths of children, the reactions of the young themselves have rarely been explored. Drawing on a range of printed and archival sources, I argue that children expressed diverse and conflicting emotions, from fear and anxiety, to excitement and ecstasy. By exploring the emotional experiences of Protestants, the chapter contributes to the bourgeoning literature on emotion and religion, and contests earlier depictions of reformed Protestantism as an inherently intellectual, rather than an affective, faith. This study also suggests that we revise the way we classify the emotions, resisting the intuitive urge to categorise them as ‘positive’ or ‘negative’. The fear of hell, for example, though profoundly unpleasant, was regarded as a rational, commendable response, which demonstrated the work of the Holy Spirit in the soul, and was a prerequisite for the attainment of a joyful assurance of heaven. An underlying question is to what extent children’s responses to death differed from those of adults. I propose that although their reactions were broadly similar, the precise preoccupations of dying children were different. Through highlighting these distinctive features, we can come to a closer idea of what it was like to be a child in the early modern period.

Emotional intelligence and teaching : solving the puzzle

The emotional intelligence of educators has a major influence on how well they are able to help people to learn. Teachers with high levels of emotional intelligence always or usually adopt an appropriate emotionally intelligent response in both positive and negative situations. Teachers with low levels of emotional intelligence sometimes adopt an emotionally intelligent response in positive situations but seldom or never in negative situations. These differences have some significant implications. The authors' research shows that emotional intelligence and self-efficacy are different but related concepts. A teacher's level of emotional intelligence is linked to his or her sense of self-efficacy. A teacher with high levels of emotional intelligence is more likely to be able to work more effectively and persist longer because they have a belief in their own ability and feel that they are in control. The emotionally intelligent teacher is sensitive to his or her own emotions and the emotions of others and so is able to build positive relationships with colleagues and students. Beyond that, a teaching environment that is emotionally healthy and supportive will enhance the development of teachers' emotional intelligence.

Association of different forms of bullying victimisation with adolescents' psychological distress and reduced emotional wellbeing

OBJECTIVE: The frequency and emotional response to bullying victimisation are known to be associated with adolescent mental ill health. A potentially important under-investigated factor is the form of bullying. Four common forms of bullying behaviours are name-calling, physical threats or harm, rumour spreading and social exclusion. To more comprehensively understand bullying victimisation in adolescence, we examined the association of all three factors (frequency, emotional response, form) to psychological distress and emotional wellbeing. METHOD: A stratified, random sample of adolescents (n = 10, 273; mean age = 14.33 years, standard deviation = 1.68 years) completed validated measures of bullying victimisation (Gatehouse Bullying Questionnaire), psychological distress (K10) and emotional wellbeing (Mental Health Inventory) in classroom time. Associations between the form of bullying victimisation and mental health outcomes were examined. RESULTS: Adolescents reported a high prevalence of all four forms of bullying: teased or called names (30.6%), rumour spreading (17.9%), social exclusion (14.3%) and physical threats or harm (10.7%). Victimisation was independently associated with significantly higher levels of psychological distress and reduced levels of emotional wellbeing for all forms of bullying. In particular, social exclusion had a strong association with mental ill health. Adolescents who experienced frequent bullying that was upsetting reported higher psychological distress and reduced emotional wellbeing. CONCLUSION: Different forms of bullying victimisation were independently associated with psychological distress and reduced emotional wellbeing. In particular, frequent and upsetting social exclusion requires a targeted and measured response by school communities and health practitioners.