Visual imagery perspective and negative emotional responses in young people

• Main Author: Williams, Alice
• Published: University of Surrey 2014
• Subjects: 128
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.658834

Viewing an upsetting mental image through our own eyes (first-person) or through the eyes of an observer (third-person) has previously been demonstrated to result in different emotional responses to the image. Different emotional outcomes may result from imagery as a consequence of visual perspective influencing whether the image is defined according to the abstract or concrete self (Libby & Eibach, 2011). The present research was interested in investigating this hypothesis to explore the impact of imagery perspective on emotional outcomes in young people. One hundred and fifty-six 16-18 year olds recalled a personal failure from either the first or third-person visual perspective in a between group experimental design. This study extends previous research by including self-views of selfcompassion, self-esteem and shame proneness. It was expected that these self-views would interact with the visual perspective to predict the level of state shame and negative affect experienced when recalling a failure image. Results revealed no such interaction effect, and emotional outcomes from imagery were dependent on individual's self-views regardless of perspective used. This is inconsistent with previous accounts of the role of visual imagery perspective and may suggest the need for a developmental account of the role of visual imagery perspective in emotion. Keywords: self; visual perspective; imagery; emotion.