Postural Manipulation and Emotion: How Standing and Sitting Affect Emotional Response
Mentor 1
Dr. Raymond Fleming
Location
Union Wisconsin Room
Start Date
24-4-2015 2:30 PM
End Date
24-4-2015 3:45 PM
Description
Specific patterns of autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity have been shown to reflect different emotional states. Physiological arousal, such as exercise, has been used in examining the effects of residual arousal on emotional response. To further test the effect of physiological arousal on emotional response, the present study uses a more subtle manipulation: posture. It is known that heart rate (HR) is higher while standing than while sitting; therefore, the present study uses both a standing (arousal) and sitting (control) condition. A total of 119 college students were randomly assigned to watch both one positive and one negative video either while sitting or while standing. In addition, nearly continuous ratings of emotion were recorded using a dial that participants adjusted to indicate how positive or negative they felt during the videos. Participants’ HR, heart rate variability (HRV), and respiration were recorded throughout the experiment to assess physiological patterns associated with positive and negative emotions. It was hypothesized that participants in the standing group would show both greater positive and negative emotions than the sitting group. The findings of the study support this hypothesis. These findings may aid our understanding of the effects of non-specific arousal on emotion.
Postural Manipulation and Emotion: How Standing and Sitting Affect Emotional Response
Union Wisconsin Room
Specific patterns of autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity have been shown to reflect different emotional states. Physiological arousal, such as exercise, has been used in examining the effects of residual arousal on emotional response. To further test the effect of physiological arousal on emotional response, the present study uses a more subtle manipulation: posture. It is known that heart rate (HR) is higher while standing than while sitting; therefore, the present study uses both a standing (arousal) and sitting (control) condition. A total of 119 college students were randomly assigned to watch both one positive and one negative video either while sitting or while standing. In addition, nearly continuous ratings of emotion were recorded using a dial that participants adjusted to indicate how positive or negative they felt during the videos. Participants’ HR, heart rate variability (HRV), and respiration were recorded throughout the experiment to assess physiological patterns associated with positive and negative emotions. It was hypothesized that participants in the standing group would show both greater positive and negative emotions than the sitting group. The findings of the study support this hypothesis. These findings may aid our understanding of the effects of non-specific arousal on emotion.
