Unconscious affective reactions to masked happy versus angry faces influence consumption behavior and judgments of value

The authors explored three properties of basic, unconsciously triggered affective reactions: They can influence consequential behavior, they work without eliciting conscious feelings, and they interact with motivation. The authors investigated these properties by testing the influence of subliminally presented happy versus angry faces on pouring and consumption of beverage (Study 1), perception of beverage value (Study 2), and reports of conscious feelings (both studies). Consistent with incentive motivation theory, the impact of affective primes on beverage value and consumption was strongest for thirsty participants. Subliminal smiles caused thirsty participants to pour and consume more beverage (Study 1) and increased their willingness to pay and their wanting more beverage (Study 2). Subliminal frowns had the opposite effect. No feeling changes were observed, even in thirsty participants. The results suggest that basic affective reactions can be unconscious and interact with incentive motivation to influence assessment of value and behavior toward valenced objects.     

On the determinants of induction in responding for sucrose when food pellet reinforcement is upcoming

Rats' rates of leverpressing for low-concentration liquid-sucrose reinforcers in the first half of an experimental session increase when food pellet, rather than sucrose, reinforcers will be available in the second half. Experiment 1 determined that this induction effect was the outcome of food pellet reinforcement's increasing response rates, not of continued sucrose reinforcement's decreasing them. Experiments 2 and 3 showed that induction was primarily controlled by the conditions of reinforcement in the current session, not by those in the previous one. Experiment 4 showed little evidence that the induction was the outcome of Pavlovian processes. These results suggest that induction may occur because of processes operating at the level of the entire session. They also provide a link to a seemingly related area of study: contrast effects. Some of the results are consistent with what is known about contrast effects, but there are also several, yet unexplained differences.     

Direct measurement of the curvature of visual space

We consider the horizontal plane at eye height, that is all objects seen at the horizon. Although this plane visually degenerates into a line in the visual field, the 'depth' dimension nevertheless gives it a two-dimensional structure. We address the problem of intrinsic curvature of this plane. The classical geometric method is based on Gauss's original definition: The angular excess in a triangle equals the integral curvature over the area of the triangle. Angles were directly measured by a novel method of exocentric pointing. Experiments were performed outside, in the natural environment, under natural viewing conditions. The observers were instructed not to move from a set location and to maintain eye height, but were otherwise free to perform eye, head, and body movements. We measured the angular excess for equilateral triangles with sides of 2-20 m, the vantage position at the barycenter. We found angular excesses and deficits of up to 30 degrees. From these data we constructed the metric. The curvature changes from elliptic in near space to hyperbolic in far space. At very large distances the plane becomes parabolic.     

Fit for persuasion: the effects of nonverbal delivery style,message framing,and gender on message effectiveness

This study examined two experimental variables, delivery style and message framing, that have yet to be examined together in the regulatory fit literature. College students (mean age = 30) watched a video message encouraging regular exercise delivered in an eager or vigilant nonverbal style and framed in terms of gain or loss. Results revealed significant fit effects involving gender, delivery style, and message framing. The eager message was perceived as more effective by men whereas the vigilant message was perceived as more effective by women. A message framing by delivery style fit effect also emerged for perceived message effectiveness. The implications and limitations of these findings are discussed.