THE EFFECTS OF SPATIAL ATTENTION AND EMOTIONS ON GLOBAL AND LOCAL PROCESSES

Abstract

Present study is designed to investigate modulations in global-local processes by emotions and spatial cues. Aim was to investigate the effect of emotions on global-local bias and to examine if symbolic cues modulate these processes by simultaneously presenting the cue and emotional picture. Using the Navon (1977) figures, participants were presented with (in)congruent displays formed by the (in)congruency between the global and local features. Before presenting the displays, emotional (Experiment 1A: positive, Experiment 1B: negative) or neutral picture was presented simultaneously with global, local or neutral symbolic arrow cues, used as spatial cues to bias attention in global and local levels respectively. Participants were then asked to choose one stimulus out of three options. Chosen stimulus is expected to indicate the bias of participants. Reaction time and global-local preference measurements were analyzed. Reaction time was not modulated by any of the factors. The global/local bias measurements revealed a shift from local to global bias in the presence of negative emotion. The findings reveal information on global and local processes by adapting new methodological approach. Keywords Global and local processes, positive and negative emotions, global cue, local cue, global-local preference