Contour features predict valence and threat judgements in scenes
Abstract Quickly scanning an environment to determine relative threat is an essential part of survival. Scene gist extracted rapidly from the environment may help people detect threats. Here, we probed this link between emotional judgements and features of visual scenes. We first extracted curvature...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-99044-y |
| _version_ | 1819036587097325568 |
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| author | Claudia Damiano Dirk B. Walther William A. Cunningham |
| author_facet | Claudia Damiano Dirk B. Walther William A. Cunningham |
| author_sort | Claudia Damiano |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Quickly scanning an environment to determine relative threat is an essential part of survival. Scene gist extracted rapidly from the environment may help people detect threats. Here, we probed this link between emotional judgements and features of visual scenes. We first extracted curvature, length, and orientation statistics of all images in the International Affective Picture System image set and related them to emotional valence scores. Images containing angular contours were rated as negative, and images containing long contours as positive. We then composed new abstract line drawings with specific combinations of length, angularity, and orientation values and asked participants to rate them as positive or negative, and as safe or threatening. Smooth, long, horizontal contour scenes were rated as positive/safe, while short angular contour scenes were rated as negative/threatening. Our work shows that particular combinations of image features help people make judgements about potential threat in the environment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T08:07:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-707e80bd42b34fc6abb6b3b3a6a990d0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T08:07:53Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-707e80bd42b34fc6abb6b3b3a6a990d02022-12-21T19:10:45ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222021-09-0111111210.1038/s41598-021-99044-yContour features predict valence and threat judgements in scenesClaudia Damiano0Dirk B. Walther1William A. Cunningham2Department of Brain and Cognition, KU LeuvenDepartment of Psychology, University of TorontoDepartment of Psychology, University of TorontoAbstract Quickly scanning an environment to determine relative threat is an essential part of survival. Scene gist extracted rapidly from the environment may help people detect threats. Here, we probed this link between emotional judgements and features of visual scenes. We first extracted curvature, length, and orientation statistics of all images in the International Affective Picture System image set and related them to emotional valence scores. Images containing angular contours were rated as negative, and images containing long contours as positive. We then composed new abstract line drawings with specific combinations of length, angularity, and orientation values and asked participants to rate them as positive or negative, and as safe or threatening. Smooth, long, horizontal contour scenes were rated as positive/safe, while short angular contour scenes were rated as negative/threatening. Our work shows that particular combinations of image features help people make judgements about potential threat in the environment.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-99044-y |
| spellingShingle | Claudia Damiano Dirk B. Walther William A. Cunningham Contour features predict valence and threat judgements in scenes Scientific Reports |
| title | Contour features predict valence and threat judgements in scenes |
| title_full | Contour features predict valence and threat judgements in scenes |
| title_fullStr | Contour features predict valence and threat judgements in scenes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Contour features predict valence and threat judgements in scenes |
| title_short | Contour features predict valence and threat judgements in scenes |
| title_sort | contour features predict valence and threat judgements in scenes |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-99044-y |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT claudiadamiano contourfeaturespredictvalenceandthreatjudgementsinscenes AT dirkbwalther contourfeaturespredictvalenceandthreatjudgementsinscenes AT williamacunningham contourfeaturespredictvalenceandthreatjudgementsinscenes |