In this study the normative ratings of the International Affective Picture
System (IAPS, Center for the Study of Emotion and Attention [CSEA], 1995)
were compared with the ratings from a Bosnian sample. Seventy-two psychology
undergraduates from the University of Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
rated valence, dominance and arousal for a stratified sample of 60 pictures
that was selected from the IAPS. Reliability coefficients indicate that the
self-report ratings are internally consistent. The affective ratings from
our sample correlated strongly with the North American ratings at: .95, .81
and .91, respectively for valence, arousal and dominance. Consistent with
expectations, mean valence and dominance ratings did not differ
significantly between the Bosnian and North American sample. Furthermore,
plotting of the Bosnian valence and arousal ratings results in a similar
boomerang shaped distribution as the North American affective ratings. Taken
together, findings obtained from the Bosnian sample confirm the
cross-cultural validity of the IAPS.