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Negative triangles : simple geometric shapes convey emotional valence
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Watson, Derrick G. , Blagrove, Elisabeth, Evans, Chesney and Moore, Lucy (2012) Negative triangles : simple geometric shapes convey emotional valence. Emotion, Vol.12 (No.1). pp. 18-22. doi:10.1037/a0024495 ISSN 1528-3542.
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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0024495
Abstract
It has been suggested that downward pointing triangles convey negative valence, perhaps because they mimic an underlying primitive feature present in negative facial expressions (Larson, Aronoff, and Stearns, 2007). Here, we test this proposition using a flanker interference paradigm in which participants indicated the valence of a central face target, presented between two adjacent distracters. Experiment 1 showed that, compared with face flankers, downward pointing triangles had little influence on responses to face targets. However, in Experiment 2, when attentional competition was increased between target and flankers, downward pointing triangles slowed responses to positively valenced face targets, and speeded them to negatively valenced targets, consistent with valence-based flanker compatibility effects. These findings provide converging evidence that simple geometric shapes may convey emotional valence.
Item Type: | Journal Article | ||||
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Subjects: | B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology Q Science > QA Mathematics |
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Divisions: | Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Science > Psychology | ||||
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Emotions, Affect (Psychology), Shapes, Triangles | ||||
Journal or Publication Title: | Emotion | ||||
Publisher: | American Psychological Association | ||||
ISSN: | 1528-3542 | ||||
Official Date: | February 2012 | ||||
Dates: |
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Volume: | Vol.12 | ||||
Number: | No.1 | ||||
Page Range: | pp. 18-22 | ||||
DOI: | 10.1037/a0024495 | ||||
Status: | Peer Reviewed | ||||
Publication Status: | Published | ||||
Access rights to Published version: | Restricted or Subscription Access | ||||
Date of first compliant deposit: | 17 December 2015 | ||||
Date of first compliant Open Access: | 17 December 2015 |
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