Motivational Objects in Natural Scenes (MONS): A Database of >800 Objects
In daily life, we are surrounded by objects with pre-existing motivational associations. However, these are rarely controlled for in experiments with natural stimuli. Research on natural stimuli would therefore benefit from stimuli with well-defined motivational properties; in turn, such stimuli als...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2017-09-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01669/full |
| _version_ | 1818364206286635008 |
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| author | Judith Schomaker Elias M. Rau Wolfgang Einhäuser Wolfgang Einhäuser Bianca C. Wittmann |
| author_facet | Judith Schomaker Elias M. Rau Wolfgang Einhäuser Wolfgang Einhäuser Bianca C. Wittmann |
| author_sort | Judith Schomaker |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In daily life, we are surrounded by objects with pre-existing motivational associations. However, these are rarely controlled for in experiments with natural stimuli. Research on natural stimuli would therefore benefit from stimuli with well-defined motivational properties; in turn, such stimuli also open new paths in research on motivation. Here we introduce a database of Motivational Objects in Natural Scenes (MONS). The database consists of 107 scenes. Each scene contains 2 to 7 objects placed at approximately equal distance from the scene center. Each scene was photographed creating 3 versions, with one object (“critical object”) being replaced to vary the overall motivational value of the scene (appetitive, aversive, and neutral), while maintaining high visual similarity between the three versions. Ratings on motivation, valence, arousal and recognizability were obtained using internet-based questionnaires. Since the main objective was to provide stimuli of well-defined motivational value, three motivation scales were used: (1) Desire to own the object; (2) Approach/Avoid; (3) Desire to interact with the object. Three sets of ratings were obtained in independent sets of observers: for all 805 objects presented on a neutral background, for 321 critical objects presented in their scene context, and for the entire scenes. On the basis of the motivational ratings, objects were subdivided into aversive, neutral, and appetitive categories. The MONS database will provide a standardized basis for future studies on motivational value under realistic conditions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T22:00:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-53166d12a4ea46eca9d913912e82fbff |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T22:00:41Z |
| publishDate | 2017-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-53166d12a4ea46eca9d913912e82fbff2022-12-21T23:30:00ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782017-09-01810.3389/fpsyg.2017.01669225221Motivational Objects in Natural Scenes (MONS): A Database of >800 ObjectsJudith Schomaker0Elias M. Rau1Wolfgang Einhäuser2Wolfgang Einhäuser3Bianca C. Wittmann4Department of Psychology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, GermanyDepartment of Psychology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, GermanyInstitute of Physics, Chemnitz University of Technology, Chemnitz, GermanyDepartment of Neurophysics, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, GermanyDepartment of Psychology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, GermanyIn daily life, we are surrounded by objects with pre-existing motivational associations. However, these are rarely controlled for in experiments with natural stimuli. Research on natural stimuli would therefore benefit from stimuli with well-defined motivational properties; in turn, such stimuli also open new paths in research on motivation. Here we introduce a database of Motivational Objects in Natural Scenes (MONS). The database consists of 107 scenes. Each scene contains 2 to 7 objects placed at approximately equal distance from the scene center. Each scene was photographed creating 3 versions, with one object (“critical object”) being replaced to vary the overall motivational value of the scene (appetitive, aversive, and neutral), while maintaining high visual similarity between the three versions. Ratings on motivation, valence, arousal and recognizability were obtained using internet-based questionnaires. Since the main objective was to provide stimuli of well-defined motivational value, three motivation scales were used: (1) Desire to own the object; (2) Approach/Avoid; (3) Desire to interact with the object. Three sets of ratings were obtained in independent sets of observers: for all 805 objects presented on a neutral background, for 321 critical objects presented in their scene context, and for the entire scenes. On the basis of the motivational ratings, objects were subdivided into aversive, neutral, and appetitive categories. The MONS database will provide a standardized basis for future studies on motivational value under realistic conditions.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01669/fullobjectsscenesmotivational valuearousal |
| spellingShingle | Judith Schomaker Elias M. Rau Wolfgang Einhäuser Wolfgang Einhäuser Bianca C. Wittmann Motivational Objects in Natural Scenes (MONS): A Database of >800 Objects Frontiers in Psychology objects scenes motivational value arousal |
| title | Motivational Objects in Natural Scenes (MONS): A Database of >800 Objects |
| title_full | Motivational Objects in Natural Scenes (MONS): A Database of >800 Objects |
| title_fullStr | Motivational Objects in Natural Scenes (MONS): A Database of >800 Objects |
| title_full_unstemmed | Motivational Objects in Natural Scenes (MONS): A Database of >800 Objects |
| title_short | Motivational Objects in Natural Scenes (MONS): A Database of >800 Objects |
| title_sort | motivational objects in natural scenes mons a database of 800 objects |
| topic | objects scenes motivational value arousal |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01669/full |
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