Universität zu Köln

Erle, Thorsten M., Reber, Rolf ORCID: 0000-0002-6669-7109 and Topolinski, Sascha ORCID: 0000-0001-9295-3463 (2017). Affect From Mere Perception: Illusory Contour Perception Feels Good. Emotion, 17 (5). S. 856 - 867. WASHINGTON: AMER PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOC. ISSN 1931-1516

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Abstract

Can affect be evoked by mere perception? Earlier work on processing fluency, which manipulated the dynamics of a running perceptual process, has shown that efficient processing can indeed trigger positive affect. The present work introduces a novel route by not manipulating the dynamics of an ongoing perceptual process, but by blocking or allowing the whole process in the first place. We used illusory contour perception as one very basic such process. In 5 experiments (total N = 422), participants briefly (less than or similar to 100 ms) viewed stimuli that either allowed illusory contour perception, so-called Kanizsa shapes, or proximally identical control shapes that did not allow for this process to occur. Self-reported preference ratings (Experiments 1, 2, and 4) and facial muscle activity (Experiment 3) showed that participants consistently preferred Kanizsa over these control shapes. Moreover, even within Kanizsa shapes, those that most likely instigated illusory contour perception (i.e., those with the highest support ratio) were liked the most (Experiment 5). At the same time, Kanizsa stimuli with high support ratios were objectively and subjectively the most complex, rendering a processing fluency explanation of this preference unlikely. These findings inform theorizing in perception about affective properties of early perceptual processes that are independent from perceptual fluency and research on affect about the importance of basic perception as a source of affectivity.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Erle, Thorsten M. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Reber, Rolf UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0002-6669-7109 UNSPECIFIED Topolinski, Sascha UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0001-9295-3463 UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-222097
DOI:	10.1037/emo0000293
Journal or Publication Title:	Emotion
Volume:	17
Number:	5
Page Range:	S. 856 - 867
Date:	2017
Publisher:	AMER PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOC
Place of Publication:	WASHINGTON
ISSN:	1931-1516
Language:	English
Faculty:	Faculty of Human Sciences Faculty of Management, Economy and Social Sciences
Divisions:	Faculty of Human Sciences > Department Psychologie Center of Excellence C-SEB
Subjects:	Psychology
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language AFFECTIVE CONSEQUENCES; AVERAGE FACES; FLUENCY; EXPOSURE; ATTRACTIVENESS; BRIGHTNESS; PLEASURE; REPRESENTATION; PERSPECTIVE; FAMILIARITY Multiple languages Psychology, Experimental Multiple languages
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/22209