Affect Intensity and Subjective Ratings of Emotional Pictures and Sounds

Paola Surcinelli; Sara Giovagnoli; Ornella Montebarocci

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ajap.20231201.11

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Affect Intensity and Subjective Ratings of Emotional Pictures and Sounds

Paola Surcinelli, Sara Giovagnoli, Ornella Montebarocci

Published in American Journal of Applied Psychology (Volume 12, Issue 1)

Received: 25 November 2022 Accepted: 13 December 2022 Published: 30 January 2023

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Abstract

Affect intensity refers to the intensity with which people experience their emotional response. Individual differences in affect intensity are supposed to be related to the strength of the response to emotional stimuli. Previous studies showed that participants with high affect intensity responded to emotional stimuli with stronger or more intense affective reactions than participants scoring low in affect intensity However, previous studies are mainly limited to the impact of affect intensity on consumer responses to advertising appeals or are limited to the use of life events descriptions as emotional stimuli. No previous studies used behavioural measures of the emotional response to standardized stimuli, varying in terms of arousal. In the present study the predictive value of affect intensity, measured by a self-report questionnaire, the Affect Intensity Measure (AIM), on the emotional response to standardized pictures and sounds has been investigated. In particular, the predictive value of affective intensity measured by the AIM, using both the total AIM total score and the four subscales scores, on subjective arousal ratings of different categories of standardized emotional pictures and sounds was assessed on a nonclinical sample. The total AIM score has been found to be predictive for subjective arousal scores for low unpleasant pictures while, using the AIM subscales scores, results showed that the Negative Reactivity subscale was predictive for arousal scores to high negative pictures and sounds. These findings seem to show that the use of the total AIM score can obscure the relationships between specific features of affect intensity and other variables. Moreover, the present results didn’t show a general effect of affect intensity on behavioural responses to emotional standardized stimuli but an emotion specific effect for high negative stimuli.

Published in	American Journal of Applied Psychology (Volume 12, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.ajap.20231201.11
Page(s)	1-7
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Affect Intensity, Arousal Ratings, Emotional Pictures, Emotional Sounds

References

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[3]	Larsen, R. J., Diener, E., & Emmons, R. A. (1986). Affect intensity and reactions to daily life events. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51, 803 814.
[4]	Larsen, R. J. (1987). The stability of mood variability: A spectral analytic approach to daily mood assessments. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 1195-1204.
[5]	Goldsmith, R. E., & Walters, H. (1989). A validity study of the Affect Intensity Measure. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 4, 133-140.
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[7]	Eisenberg, N., & Okun, M., A. (x1996). The Relations of Dispositional Regulation and Emotionality to Elders' Empathy-Related Responding and Affect While Volunteering. Journal of Personality, 64 (1), 157-183.
[8]	Schimmack, U., & Diener, E. (1997) Affect Intensity: Separating Intensity and Frequency in Repeatedly Measured Affect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 73, 1313-1329.
[9]	Moore, D. J., & Harris, W. (1996). Affect intensity and the consumer response to high impact emotional advertising appeals. Journal of Advertising, 25, 37-50.
[10]	Moore, D. J., Harris, W. D., & Chen, H. C. (1995). Affect intensity: An individual difference response to advertising appeals. Journal of Consumer Research, 22, 154-164.
[11]	Moore, D. J., & Homer, D., M. (2000). Dimensions of Temperament: Affect Intensity and Consumer Lifestyles. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 9, 231-242.
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[15]	Weinfurt, K., P., Bryant, F., B., & Yarnold, P., R. (1994). The factor structure of the Affect Intensity Measure: In search of a measurement model. Journal of Research in Personality, 28, 314-331.
[16]	Williams, D., G. (1989). Neuroticism and extraversion in different factors of the Affect Intensity Measure. Personality and Individual Differences, 10, 1095-1100.
[17]	Wolpe, J., & Lang, P., J. (1994). A fear survey schedule for use in behaviour therapy. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 2, 27-30.
[18]	Klorman, R., Weerts, T., Hastings, J., E., Melamed, B., G., & Lang, P., J. (1974). Psychometric description of some specific-fear questionnaires. Behaviour Therapy, 5, 401–409.
[19]	Lang, P. J., Bradley, M. M., & Cuthbert, B. N. (1999). International affective picture system (IAPS): Affective ratings of pictures and instruction manual.
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APA Style

Paola Surcinelli, Sara Giovagnoli, Ornella Montebarocci. (2023). Affect Intensity and Subjective Ratings of Emotional Pictures and Sounds. American Journal of Applied Psychology, 12(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20231201.11

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ACS Style

Paola Surcinelli; Sara Giovagnoli; Ornella Montebarocci. Affect Intensity and Subjective Ratings of Emotional Pictures and Sounds. Am. J. Appl. Psychol. 2023, 12(1), 1-7. doi: 10.11648/j.ajap.20231201.11

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AMA Style

Paola Surcinelli, Sara Giovagnoli, Ornella Montebarocci. Affect Intensity and Subjective Ratings of Emotional Pictures and Sounds. Am J Appl Psychol. 2023;12(1):1-7. doi: 10.11648/j.ajap.20231201.11

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@article{10.11648/j.ajap.20231201.11,
  author = {Paola Surcinelli and Sara Giovagnoli and Ornella Montebarocci},
  title = {Affect Intensity and Subjective Ratings of Emotional Pictures and Sounds},
  journal = {American Journal of Applied Psychology},
  volume = {12},
  number = {1},
  pages = {1-7},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajap.20231201.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20231201.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajap.20231201.11},
  abstract = {Affect intensity refers to the intensity with which people experience their emotional response. Individual differences in affect intensity are supposed to be related to the strength of the response to emotional stimuli. Previous studies showed that participants with high affect intensity responded to emotional stimuli with stronger or more intense affective reactions than participants scoring low in affect intensity However, previous studies are mainly limited to the impact of affect intensity on consumer responses to advertising appeals or are limited to the use of life events descriptions as emotional stimuli. No previous studies used behavioural measures of the emotional response to standardized stimuli, varying in terms of arousal. In the present study the predictive value of affect intensity, measured by a self-report questionnaire, the Affect Intensity Measure (AIM), on the emotional response to standardized pictures and sounds has been investigated. In particular, the predictive value of affective intensity measured by the AIM, using both the total AIM total score and the four subscales scores, on subjective arousal ratings of different categories of standardized emotional pictures and sounds was assessed on a nonclinical sample. The total AIM score has been found to be predictive for subjective arousal scores for low unpleasant pictures while, using the AIM subscales scores, results showed that the Negative Reactivity subscale was predictive for arousal scores to high negative pictures and sounds. These findings seem to show that the use of the total AIM score can obscure the relationships between specific features of affect intensity and other variables. Moreover, the present results didn’t show a general effect of affect intensity on behavioural responses to emotional standardized stimuli but an emotion specific effect for high negative stimuli.},
 year = {2023}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Affect Intensity and Subjective Ratings of Emotional Pictures and Sounds
AU  - Paola Surcinelli
AU  - Sara Giovagnoli
AU  - Ornella Montebarocci
Y1  - 2023/01/30
PY  - 2023
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20231201.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajap.20231201.11
T2  - American Journal of Applied Psychology
JF  - American Journal of Applied Psychology
JO  - American Journal of Applied Psychology
SP  - 1
EP  - 7
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-5672
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20231201.11
AB  - Affect intensity refers to the intensity with which people experience their emotional response. Individual differences in affect intensity are supposed to be related to the strength of the response to emotional stimuli. Previous studies showed that participants with high affect intensity responded to emotional stimuli with stronger or more intense affective reactions than participants scoring low in affect intensity However, previous studies are mainly limited to the impact of affect intensity on consumer responses to advertising appeals or are limited to the use of life events descriptions as emotional stimuli. No previous studies used behavioural measures of the emotional response to standardized stimuli, varying in terms of arousal. In the present study the predictive value of affect intensity, measured by a self-report questionnaire, the Affect Intensity Measure (AIM), on the emotional response to standardized pictures and sounds has been investigated. In particular, the predictive value of affective intensity measured by the AIM, using both the total AIM total score and the four subscales scores, on subjective arousal ratings of different categories of standardized emotional pictures and sounds was assessed on a nonclinical sample. The total AIM score has been found to be predictive for subjective arousal scores for low unpleasant pictures while, using the AIM subscales scores, results showed that the Negative Reactivity subscale was predictive for arousal scores to high negative pictures and sounds. These findings seem to show that the use of the total AIM score can obscure the relationships between specific features of affect intensity and other variables. Moreover, the present results didn’t show a general effect of affect intensity on behavioural responses to emotional standardized stimuli but an emotion specific effect for high negative stimuli.
VL  - 12
IS  - 1
ER  -

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Author Information

Paola Surcinelli

Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Sara Giovagnoli

Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Ornella Montebarocci

Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

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APA Style

Paola Surcinelli, Sara Giovagnoli, Ornella Montebarocci. (2023). Affect Intensity and Subjective Ratings of Emotional Pictures and Sounds. American Journal of Applied Psychology, 12(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20231201.11

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ACS Style

Paola Surcinelli; Sara Giovagnoli; Ornella Montebarocci. Affect Intensity and Subjective Ratings of Emotional Pictures and Sounds. Am. J. Appl. Psychol. 2023, 12(1), 1-7. doi: 10.11648/j.ajap.20231201.11

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AMA Style

Paola Surcinelli, Sara Giovagnoli, Ornella Montebarocci. Affect Intensity and Subjective Ratings of Emotional Pictures and Sounds. Am J Appl Psychol. 2023;12(1):1-7. doi: 10.11648/j.ajap.20231201.11

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@article{10.11648/j.ajap.20231201.11,
  author = {Paola Surcinelli and Sara Giovagnoli and Ornella Montebarocci},
  title = {Affect Intensity and Subjective Ratings of Emotional Pictures and Sounds},
  journal = {American Journal of Applied Psychology},
  volume = {12},
  number = {1},
  pages = {1-7},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajap.20231201.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20231201.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajap.20231201.11},
  abstract = {Affect intensity refers to the intensity with which people experience their emotional response. Individual differences in affect intensity are supposed to be related to the strength of the response to emotional stimuli. Previous studies showed that participants with high affect intensity responded to emotional stimuli with stronger or more intense affective reactions than participants scoring low in affect intensity However, previous studies are mainly limited to the impact of affect intensity on consumer responses to advertising appeals or are limited to the use of life events descriptions as emotional stimuli. No previous studies used behavioural measures of the emotional response to standardized stimuli, varying in terms of arousal. In the present study the predictive value of affect intensity, measured by a self-report questionnaire, the Affect Intensity Measure (AIM), on the emotional response to standardized pictures and sounds has been investigated. In particular, the predictive value of affective intensity measured by the AIM, using both the total AIM total score and the four subscales scores, on subjective arousal ratings of different categories of standardized emotional pictures and sounds was assessed on a nonclinical sample. The total AIM score has been found to be predictive for subjective arousal scores for low unpleasant pictures while, using the AIM subscales scores, results showed that the Negative Reactivity subscale was predictive for arousal scores to high negative pictures and sounds. These findings seem to show that the use of the total AIM score can obscure the relationships between specific features of affect intensity and other variables. Moreover, the present results didn’t show a general effect of affect intensity on behavioural responses to emotional standardized stimuli but an emotion specific effect for high negative stimuli.},
 year = {2023}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Affect Intensity and Subjective Ratings of Emotional Pictures and Sounds
AU  - Paola Surcinelli
AU  - Sara Giovagnoli
AU  - Ornella Montebarocci
Y1  - 2023/01/30
PY  - 2023
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20231201.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajap.20231201.11
T2  - American Journal of Applied Psychology
JF  - American Journal of Applied Psychology
JO  - American Journal of Applied Psychology
SP  - 1
EP  - 7
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-5672
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20231201.11
AB  - Affect intensity refers to the intensity with which people experience their emotional response. Individual differences in affect intensity are supposed to be related to the strength of the response to emotional stimuli. Previous studies showed that participants with high affect intensity responded to emotional stimuli with stronger or more intense affective reactions than participants scoring low in affect intensity However, previous studies are mainly limited to the impact of affect intensity on consumer responses to advertising appeals or are limited to the use of life events descriptions as emotional stimuli. No previous studies used behavioural measures of the emotional response to standardized stimuli, varying in terms of arousal. In the present study the predictive value of affect intensity, measured by a self-report questionnaire, the Affect Intensity Measure (AIM), on the emotional response to standardized pictures and sounds has been investigated. In particular, the predictive value of affective intensity measured by the AIM, using both the total AIM total score and the four subscales scores, on subjective arousal ratings of different categories of standardized emotional pictures and sounds was assessed on a nonclinical sample. The total AIM score has been found to be predictive for subjective arousal scores for low unpleasant pictures while, using the AIM subscales scores, results showed that the Negative Reactivity subscale was predictive for arousal scores to high negative pictures and sounds. These findings seem to show that the use of the total AIM score can obscure the relationships between specific features of affect intensity and other variables. Moreover, the present results didn’t show a general effect of affect intensity on behavioural responses to emotional standardized stimuli but an emotion specific effect for high negative stimuli.
VL  - 12
IS  - 1
ER  -

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