scholarly journals Specificity of spiders among fear- and disgust-eliciting arthropods: Spiders are special, but phobics not so much

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. e0257726
Author(s):  
Eva Landová ◽  
Markéta Janovcová ◽  
Iveta Štolhoferová ◽  
Silvie Rádlová ◽  
Petra Frýdlová ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Point Scale ◽  
Online Experiment ◽  
Central European ◽  
Spider Species ◽  
Specific Fear ◽  
Physical Resemblance

To investigate a specificity of spiders as a prototypical fear- and disgust-eliciting stimuli, we conducted an online experiment. The respondents rated images of 25 spiders, 12 non-spider chelicerates, and 10 other arthropods on a fear and disgust 7-point scale. The evaluation of 968 Central European respondents confirmed the specificity of spiders among fear- and disgust-eliciting arthropods and supported the notion of spiders as a cognitive category. We delineated this category as covering extant spider species as well as some other chelicerates bearing a physical resemblance to spiders, mainly whip spiders and camel spiders. We suggested calling this category the spider-like cognitive category. We discussed evolutionary roots of the spider-like category and concluded that its roots should be sought in fear, with disgust being secondary of the two emotions. We suggested other chelicerates, e.g., scorpions, might have been important in formation and fixation of the spider-like category. Further, we investigated an effect of respondent’s sensitivity to a specific fear of spiders on evaluation of the stimuli. We found that suspected phobic respondents were in their rating nearly identical to those with only high fear of spiders and similar to those with only moderate fear of spiders. We concluded that results based on healthy respondents with elevated fear should also be considered relevant for arachnophobia research.

Perception of Distorted "R" Sounds in the Synthesized Speech of Chlldren and Adults

1983 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 516-524 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald J. Sharf ◽  
Ralph N. Ohde
Keyword(s):  
Speech Language Pathology ◽  
Graduate Level ◽  
Point Scale ◽  
Synthesized Speech ◽  
Language Pathology ◽  
High Degree

Adult and Child manifolds were generated by synthesizing 5 X 5 matrices of/Cej/ type utterances in which F2 and F3 frequencies were systematically varied. Manifold stimuli were presented to 11 graduate-level speech-language pathology students in two conditions: (a) a rating condition in which stimuli were rated on a 4-point scale between good /r/and good /w/; and (b) a labeling condition in which stimuli were labeled as "R," "W," "distorted R." or "N" (for none of the previous choices). It was found that (a) stimuli with low F2 and high F3 frequencies were rated 1.0nmdas;1.4; those with high F2 and low F3 frequencies were rated 3.6–4.0, and those with intermediate values were rated 1.5–3.5; (b) stimuli rated 1.0–1.4 were labeled as "W" and stimuli rated 3.6–4.0 were labeled as "R"; (c) none of the Child manifold stimuli were labeled as distorted "R" and one of the Adult manifold stimuli approached a level of identification that approached the percentage of identification for "R" and "W": and (d) rating and labeling tasks were performed with a high degree of reliability.

Combining Defaults and Transparency Information to Increase Policy Compliance

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (5) ◽  
pp. 354-359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yavor Paunov ◽  
Michaela Wänke ◽  
Tobias Vogel
Keyword(s):  
Independent Effect ◽  
Online Experiment ◽  
Policy Compliance ◽  
Empirical Question ◽  
Theoretical Predictions

Abstract. Combining the strengths of defaults and transparency information is a potentially powerful way to induce policy compliance. Despite negative theoretical predictions, a recent line of research revealed that default nudges may become more effective if people are informed why they should exhibit the targeted behavior. Yet, it is an open empirical question whether the increase in compliance came from setting a default and consequently disclosing it, or the provided information was sufficient to deliver the effect on its own. Results from an online experiment indicate that both defaulting and transparency information exert a statistically independent effect on compliance, with highest compliance rates observed in the combined condition. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed.

Positive First or Negative First?

Methodology ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 118-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dagmar Krebs ◽  
Juergen H.P. Hoffmeyer-Zlotnik
Keyword(s):  
Job Characteristics ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Response Behavior ◽  
Point Scale ◽  
Response Scale ◽  
Job Motivation ◽  
Ballot Design ◽  
Subjective Importance ◽  
Scale Format ◽  
Scale Types

To examine whether starting a response scale with the positive or the negative categories affects response behavior, a split-ballot design using reverse forms of an 8-point scale assessing the subjective importance of job characteristics was used. Response behavior varied according to the scale format employed. Responses were more positive on the scale starting with the category “very important” (split 2). By contrast, the scale starting with the category “not at all important” (split 1) did not elicit more negative responses, but rather less positive ones. However, differences in response behavior did not systematically reflect the direction of the respective scales. Starting with the differences between the two split versions, the factorial structure of indicators assessing two dimensions of job motivation was tested for each scale type separately and then for both scale types simultaneously. Finally, models placing increasingly severe equality constraints on both scale types were tested. The paper concludes with a discussion of the results and desiderata for further research.

Effects of Light-Hearted and Serious Entertainment on Enjoyment of the First and Third Person

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Hofer
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Media Consumption ◽  
First Person ◽  
Online Experiment ◽  
Entertainment Media ◽  
Third Person Effect ◽  
The Third ◽  
Third Person ◽  
Perceived Enjoyment ◽  
The Third Person

Abstract. This was a study on the perceived enjoyment of different movie genres. In an online experiment, 176 students were randomly divided into two groups (n = 88) and asked to estimate how much they, their closest friends, and young people in general enjoyed either serious or light-hearted movies. These self–other differences in perceived enjoyment of serious or light-hearted movies were also assessed as a function of differing individual motivations underlying entertainment media consumption. The results showed a clear third-person effect for light-hearted movies and a first-person effect for serious movies. The third-person effect for light-hearted movies was moderated by level of hedonic motivation, as participants with high hedonic motivations did not perceive their own and others’ enjoyment of light-hearted films differently. However, eudaimonic motivations did not moderate first-person perceptions in the case of serious films.

Men’s Hunger, Food Consumption, and Preferences for Female Body Types

2014 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 495-497 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas Guéguen
Keyword(s):  
Food Consumption ◽  
Female Body ◽  
The Body ◽  
Slender Body ◽  
Mediation Effect ◽  
Point Scale ◽  
Body Type ◽  
Experimental Conditions

Nelson and Morrison (2005 , study 3) reported that men who feel hungry preferred heavier women. The present study replicates these results by using real photographs of women and examines the mediation effect of hunger scores. Men were solicited while entering or leaving a restaurant and asked to report their hunger on a 10-point scale. Afterwards, they were presented with three photographs of a woman in a bikini: One with a slim body type, one with a slender body type, and one with a slightly chubby body. The participants were asked to indicate their preference. Results showed that the participants entering the restaurant preferred the chubby body type more while satiated men preferred the thinner or slender body types. It was also found that the relation between experimental conditions and the choices of the body type was mediated by men’s hunger scores.

9-Point Scale of Infant Facial Expressions

1978 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy E. MacDonald ◽  
Irwin W. Silverman
Keyword(s):  
Facial Expressions ◽  
Point Scale
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