Selective attention to real-world objects drives their emotional appraisal

Abstract

Attentional manipulations have been shown to influence subsequent evaluations of objects and images. For example, images used as distractors in a visual search task are subsequently rated more negatively than are target images. One powerful manipulation of attention occurs when we plan and execute movements toward objects in our environment. Here, in two experiments, we show that selective attention to real-world objects subsequently improves emotional appraisal of those objects-an effect we term "target appreciation." Participants were presented with abstract images on three-dimensional objects, and were cued to either reach and grasp one of the two objects, or to respond to the cued object with a keyboard. Images presented on target objects were appraised more positively when compared with novel images. In contrast, images associated with obstacles or distractor objects were not appraised differently than novel images, despite the attentional suppression thought to be required to successfully avoid or ignore these objects. We speculate that this automatic appreciation of the objects of selective attention may be adaptive for organisms acting in complex environments. Keywords Selective attention . Emotion . Preferences . Motor processes . Real world Attentional manipulations have been shown to influence affective ratings of images and objects (Fenske & Raymond, 2006;Schonberg et al., 2014;Veling, Aarts, & Stroebe, 2013). One powerful manipulation of attention occurs when we plan and execute movements toward objects in our environment. Studies of reaching and grasping show that attention is dynamically enhanced for the locations containing targets that must be approached (Baldauf, Wolf, & Deubel, 2006), and that attention is dynamically suppressed for locations containing obstacles that must be avoided (Chapman, Gallivan, Culham, & Goodale, 2011). Here, we consider the

Ownership psychology as a cognitive adaptation: A minimalist model

“…Merely planning a movement increases the neural activity in human early visual and auditory cortices (Gale et al, 2021;Gallivan, Chapman, Gale, Flanagan, & Culham, 2019). When we act on an emotionally neutral object, our actions enhance that object's appeal in subsequent evaluations (Chapman, Gallivan, & Enns, 2015;Wispinski, Lin, Enns, & Chapman, 2021). Conversely, ignoring some objects in order to act selectively on others decreases their subsequent emotional appeal (De Vito & Fenske, 2018;Fenske & Raymond, 2006;Griffiths & Mitchell, 2008;Kiss et al, 2007;Raymond, Fenske, & Westoby, 2005;Silver, Stahl, Loiotile, Smith-Flores, & Feigenson, 2020).…”

On intuitive versus institutional accounts of ownership

“…Merely planning a movement increases the activity in human early and cortices et al, 2021; Gallivan, Flanagan, & Culham, 2019). When we act on an emotionally neutral object, our actions enhance that object's appeal in subsequent evaluations (Chapman, Gallivan, & Enns, 2015;Wispinski, Lin, Enns, & Chapman, 2021). Conversely, ignoring some objects in order to act selectively on others decreases their subsequent emotional appeal (De Vito & Fenske, 2018;Fenske & Raymond, 2006;Griffiths & Mitchell, 2008;Kiss et al, 2007;Raymond, Fenske, & Westoby, 2005;Silver, Stahl, Loiotile, Smith-Flores, & Feigenson, 2020).…”

Hold it! Where do we put the body?

“…Merely planning a movement increases the neural activity in human early visual and auditory cortices (Gale et al ., 2021; Gallivan, Chapman, Gale, Flanagan, & Culham, 2019). When we act on an emotionally neutral object, our actions enhance that object's appeal in subsequent evaluations (Chapman, Gallivan, & Enns, 2015; Peck & Shu, 2009; Wispinski, Lin, Enns, & Chapman, 2021). Conversely, ignoring some objects in order to act selectively on others decreases their subsequent emotional appeal (De Vito & Fenske, 2018; Fenske & Raymond, 2006; Griffiths & Mitchell, 2008; Kiss et al ., 2007; Raymond, Fenske, & Westoby, 2005; Silver, Stahl, Loiotile, Smith-Flores, & Feigenson, 2020).…”