A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Primacy of emotional vs. semantic scene recognition in peripheral vision
Authors: Calvo MG, Avero P, Nummenmaa L
Publisher: PSYCHOLOGY PRESS
Publication year: 2011
Journal: Cognition and Emotion
Journal name in source: COGNITION & EMOTION
Journal acronym: COGNITION EMOTION
Volume: 25
Issue: 8
First page : 1358
Last page: 1375
Number of pages: 18
ISSN: 0269-9931
eISSN: 1464-0600
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2010.544448
Abstract
Emotional scenes were presented peripherally (5.2 degrees away from fixation) or foveally (at fixation) for 150 ms. In affective evaluation tasks viewers judged whether a scene was unpleasant or not, or whether it was pleasant or not. In semantic categorisation tasks viewers judged whether a scene involved animals or humans (superordinate-level task), or whether it portrayed females or males (subordinate-level task). The same stimuli were used for the affective and the semantic task. Results indicated that in peripheral vision affective evaluation was less accurate and slower than animal/human discrimination, and did not show any advantage over gender discrimination. In addition, performance impairment in the peripheral relative to the foveal condition was greater or equivalent for affective than for semantic categorisation. These findings cast doubts on the specialness and the primacy of affective over semantic recognition. The findings are also relevant when considering the role of the subcortical "low route'' in emotional processing.
Emotional scenes were presented peripherally (5.2 degrees away from fixation) or foveally (at fixation) for 150 ms. In affective evaluation tasks viewers judged whether a scene was unpleasant or not, or whether it was pleasant or not. In semantic categorisation tasks viewers judged whether a scene involved animals or humans (superordinate-level task), or whether it portrayed females or males (subordinate-level task). The same stimuli were used for the affective and the semantic task. Results indicated that in peripheral vision affective evaluation was less accurate and slower than animal/human discrimination, and did not show any advantage over gender discrimination. In addition, performance impairment in the peripheral relative to the foveal condition was greater or equivalent for affective than for semantic categorisation. These findings cast doubts on the specialness and the primacy of affective over semantic recognition. The findings are also relevant when considering the role of the subcortical "low route'' in emotional processing.
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