This experiment investigated the effects of different emotional content on emotional arousal Essay Example Essay Example

This experiment investigated the effects of different emotional content on emotional arousal Essay Example Paper This experiment investigated the effects of different emotional content on emotional arousal Essay Introduction This experiment investigated the effects of different emotional content on emotional arousal. The design method used was a within subjects design. Emotional arousal was measured by gauging the participants’ heart rate, using Biopac ECG computer software, blood pressure and completion of a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) by the participant, as shown in appendix A. Results showed that funnier or more dramatic emotional content led to a greater variety in emotional arousal. More humorous content also resulted in a more positive mood. Introduction There are many theories in relation to emotional arousal. The James-Lange theory of emotion argues that an event causes physiological arousal first and then this arousal is interpreted. Only after interpretation of the arousal can emotion be experienced. If the arousal is not noticed or is not given any thought, then an emotion will not be experienced based on this event. The Cannon-Bard theory states that physiological arousal and emotional experience are experienced at the same time. According to the Schachter-Singer theory, an event causes physiological arousal first. The reason for this arousal must then be identified so that the emotion can be experienced. Lazarus Theory claims that a thought must come before any emotion or physiological arousal can be experienced. This experiment investigated the effects of different emotional content on emotional arousal Essay Body Paragraphs This experiment measured how different types of stimuli cause emotional mood change and how these mood changes can be detected physiologically. Participants watched three short video clips: a video clip from ‘Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, a video clip of Jasper Carrot from his stand-up comedy routine and television series ‘The Detectives’ and a video clip of cars driving on a motorway. Their mood was measured before and after watching the clip. There were two measures taken: the participant’s blood pressure and a VAS filled out by participant for a subjective measure of their mood. As well as these, the participant’s heart rate was measured whilst they were watching the video clip. The following predictions, and the reasoning behind each, were made: 1. The Jasper Carrot video clip would provide more arousal than the other two video clips. Jasper Carrot is a comedian and when people laugh out loud their heat rate inc reases. 2. The Motorway video clip would have a negative effect on the mood. This was a very boring and repetitive video clip, with not much action. Participants would quickly get bored an after time possibly a bit angry and stressed. 3. The Jasper Carrot video clip would have a positive effect on the mood. When people are laughing their mood improves, even if only temporarily. 4. The Fried Green Tomatoes video clip would provide a greater variation in emotion than the other two video clips. There are a greater variety emotions in this video clip, which leads to a larger range of emotional arousal. Method This experiment used a within subjects design and was carried out in a laboratory setting. The independent variable was the video clip shown to the participant: Fried Green Tomatoes, Jasper Carrot or Motorway. The dependent variables measuring mood change were: the VAS scores before and after watching the video clip, the participants’ blood pressure before and after watching the video clip and heart rate of the participant whilst watching the video clip. A random order was used when deciding the sequence of the video clips. Equipment used was Biopac ECG computer software, VASs, blood pressure monitors and the video clips. The participant was connected to the Biopac ECG computer software by placing three electrodes on the surface of the skin; one on the inside of each wrist and one on the back of one wrist. These electrodes detect electrical signals which relate to the electrical activity of the heart. The blood pressure monitors measured systolic and diastolic blood pressure. These were strapped on the participant’s wrist so that the screen was on the inside of the wrist. Results The following graph looks at the overall mean heart rate for each video clip. As figure 1 shows, the mean heart rate for the Jasper Carrot video clip is much higher than that of the Fried Green Tomatoes video clip. However, it is only slightly higher than the Motorway T raffic video clip. Figure 2 shows the difference in blood pressure before and after watching each video clip. As can be seen by figure 2, both the systolic and diastolic blood pressures increased after watching the Fried Green Tomatoes video clip. After watching the Jasper carrot video clip, both the systolic and diastolic blood pressures decreased. After the motorway traffic video clip participants’ systolic blood pressure rose slightly whilst the diastolic came down. The next graph looks at changes in VAS scores completed by the participants before and after watching each of the video clips. As figure 3 illustrates, the Fried Green Tomatoes and Motorway Traffic video clips had a negative effect on the participants’ mood whilst the Jasper Carrot video clip had a positive effect on their mood. Figure 4 shows the heart rate of the participants whilst they were watching each of the videos. Discussion The first prediction stated that the Jasper Carrot video clip would pro vide more arousal than the other two video clips. Looking at the overall mean heart rate for each of the video clips in figure 1 shows that the mean heart rate for the Jasper Carrot video clip was visibly higher than that of the Fried Green Tomatoes video clip. Whilst it was also higher than the mean heart rate for the Motorway Traffic video clip, this difference was only small; 73.23056 for the Jasper Carrot video clip and 73.155 for the Motorway Traffic video clip. An independent samples t-test, as shown in appendix B, was carried out to see if this difference was statistically significant. Results of this test show that the difference was not significant at the 95% level (t=0.042, df=122, p;0.05). Therefore, the null hypothesis can be accepted and the prediction made rejected: the Jasper Carrot video clip does not provide more arousal than the other two video clips. It is perhaps surprising that the Motorway Traffic video clip produced such a high overall mean heart rate. This ma y have occurred due to the fact that the video clip was extremely repetitive and not very interesting. As a result of this the participants became bored quite quickly and maybe became slightly stressed and angry after some time. This would cause an increase in arousal, as shown in the heart rates. Another possible explanation could have been the anticipation by the participant of something bad happening, for example an accident. This would have lead to increased tension and worry, which would have increased the heart rate. The second prediction stated that the Motorway video clip would have a negative effect on the mood. Looking at the differences in VAS scores between before and after watching the video clip in figure 3 shows that there was a movement towards the more negative mood in each of the three scales: sad-happy, tense-calm and stressed-relaxed. This supports the prediction made. This may have been caused again by he reasons as stated above; the participants became bored of the video clip quite easily which led to a less positive mood. The third prediction stated the Jasper Carrot video clip would have a positive effect on the mood. Looking at the differences in VAS scores between before and after watching the video clip in figure 3 shows that there was a movement towards the more positive mood in each of the three scales: sad-happy, tense-calm and stressed-relaxed. This supports the prediction made. This was most probably because the majority of people find Jasper Carrot funny, as can be reflected in his success as a comedian over the years. They will laugh and smile whilst they watch him, and possibly temporarily forget about any worries. This leads to a more relaxed state and an improvement in mood. The fourth prediction stated that the Fried Green Tomatoes video clip would provide a greater variation in emotion than the other two video clips. Figure 4 shows the heart rates of participants whilst they were watching the three video clips. The Motorw ay Traffic clip remains fairly constant between 72 and 74 beats per minute. Both the Jasper Carrot and Fried Green Tomatoes video clips show a large range; the minimum value on the graph being 67.09545 for the Jasper Carrot video clip and 67.78162 for Fried Green Tomatoes and peaks of 75.55909 for Jasper Carrot and 76.81019 for the Fried Green Tomatoes video clip. Looking at the graph in figure 4 it is difficult to say that either the Fried Green Tomatoes or Jasper Carrot video clip shows a greater variance in the heart rate then the other one. Therefore, the prediction made should be rejected: the Fried Green Tomatoes video clip does not provide a greater variation in emotion than the other two video clips. This variety in heart rates in both the Fried Green Tomatoes and Jasper Carrot video clips is understandable when looked at closely. Whilst overall one would expect the Jasper Carrot video clip to give a higher overall heart rate, as shown in figure 1, it is unlikely that a high level would be maintained throughout. The heart rate would increase at a particularly funny part and then go down again until the next joke. In the Fried Green Tomatoes clip there are a variety of emotions occurring within a short space of time. Firstly, there is the calmness then a sudden excitement and increase in arousal as the participant sees Buddy stuck on the train track, before returning back to the calmness of the hospital. All of these different emotions produce different levels of arousal, as shown in the heart rates. 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