Inducing Sadness and Anxiousness through Visual Media

Measurement Techniques and Persistence

Journal article (2016)

Authors

A. Kuijsters Eindhoven University of Technology
J.A. Redi , Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI)
B de Ruyter Philips Research
I.E.J.R. Heynderickx Eindhoven University of Technology
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Published Date

2016

Language

English

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Abstract

The persistence of negative moods (sadness and anxiousness) induced by three visual Mood Induction Procedures (MIP) was investigated. The evolution of the mood after the MIP was monitored for a period of 8 min with the Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM; every 2 min) and with recordings of skin conductance level (SCL) and electrocardiography (ECG). The SAM pleasure ratings showed that short and longer film fragments were effective in inducing a longer lasting negative mood, whereas the negative mood induced by the IAPS slideshow was short lived. The induced arousal during the anxious MIPs diminished quickly after the mood induction; nevertheless, the SCL data suggest longer lasting arousal effects for both movies. The decay of the induced mood follows a logarithmic function; diminishing quickly in the first minutes, thereafter returning slowly back to baseline. These results reveal that caution is needed when investigating the effects of the induced mood on a task or the effect of interventions on induced moods, because the induced mood diminishes quickly after the mood induction.