Each row represents the ratings of the intensity of 20 emotions associated with the color term gi... more Each row represents the ratings of the intensity of 20 emotions associated with the color term given by variable "color", by participant identified by variable "subject"
Anxiety is the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorder in the EU and 18% of the US populat... more Anxiety is the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorder in the EU and 18% of the US population experiences an anxiety disorder at any one time. However, only 20% of individuals experiencing anxiety receive a formally administered intervention, highlighting a need for evidence-based interventions that can be self-administered. Music listening can be flexibly self-administered and may be useful for anxiety reduction, but further evidence is needed. The current paper addressed this by conducting the first systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled studies testing music listening interventions for naturally occurring state anxiety. A protocol was registered on PROSPERO ID: CRD42018104308. Searches were carried out of the Cochrane Library, Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, Web of Science and CINAHL databases, yielding 6208 records. After screening for eligibility, 24 controlled studies were included in the review and 21 were included in the meta-analysis. Results of the meta-a...
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160806.][This corrects the article DOI: 10.1098/rsos... more [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160806.][This corrects the article DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160806.].
Many of us “see red,” “feel blue,” or “turn green with envy.” Are such color-emotion associations... more Many of us “see red,” “feel blue,” or “turn green with envy.” Are such color-emotion associations fundamental to our shared cognitive architecture, or are they cultural creations learned through our languages and traditions? To answer these questions, we tested emotional associations of colors in 4,598 participants from 30 nations speaking 22 native languages. Participants associated 20 emotion concepts with 12 color terms. Pattern-similarity analyses revealed universal color-emotion associations (average similarity coefficient r = .88). However, local differences were also apparent. A machine-learning algorithm revealed that nation predicted color-emotion associations above and beyond those observed universally. Similarity was greater when nations were linguistically or geographically close. This study highlights robust universal color-emotion associations, further modulated by linguistic and geographic factors. These results pose further theoretical and empirical questions about t...
Across cultures, people associate colours with emotions. Here, we test the hypothesis that one dr... more Across cultures, people associate colours with emotions. Here, we test the hypothesis that one driver of this cross-modal correspondence is the physical environment we live in. We focus on a prime example – the association of yellow with joy, – which conceivably arises because yellow is reminiscent of life-sustaining sunshine and pleasant weather. If so, this association should be especially strong in countries where sunny weather is a rare occurrence. We analysed yellow-joy associations of 6625 participants from 55 countries to investigate how yellow-joy associations varied geographically, climatologically, and seasonally. We assessed the distance to the equator, sunshine, precipitation, and daytime hours. Consistent with our hypotheses, participants who live further away from the equator and in rainier countries are more likely to associate yellow with joy. We did not find associations with seasonal variations. Our findings support a role for the physical environment in shaping the affective meaning of colour.
Items with high value are often remembered better than those with low value. It is not clear, how... more Items with high value are often remembered better than those with low value. It is not clear, however, whether this value effect extends to the binding of associative details (e.g., word colour) in episodic memory. Here, we explored whether value enhances memory for associative information in two different scenarios that might support a more effective process of binding between identity and colour. Experiment 1 examined incidental binding between item and colour using coloured images of familiar objects, whereas Experiment 2 examined intentional learning of word colour. In both experiments, increasing value led to improvements in memory for both item and colour, and these effects persisted after approximately 24 hr. Experiment 3a and Experiment 3b replicated the value effect on intentional word–colour memory from Experiment 2 while also demonstrating this effect to be less reliable when word colour is incidental to the encoding phase. Thus, value-directed prioritisation can facilita...
Visuospatial bootstrapping describes the observation that performance on a verbal memory task is ... more Visuospatial bootstrapping describes the observation that performance on a verbal memory task is enhanced by presenting the to‐be‐remembered material in a format with additional embedded spatial information. Thus far, it has only been reported in short‐term memory tasks. Here, we report two experiments assessing the impact of spatial information on the learning of sequences in long‐term memory. Experiment 1 used digits presented within a familiar numeric keypad as stimuli compared against single digits presented in one location. Experiment 2 used novel nonwords, which were either presented in an unchanging arrangement permitting the building‐up of location knowledge or in a constantly changing arrangement. Both experiments demonstrated strong evidence that reliable spatial information facilitated sequence learning, particularly in later sequence positions. It is concluded that the incidental availability of spatialized information during study can facilitate learning of sequences of...
This is an investigation on the interaction between the subjective and objective occupational con... more This is an investigation on the interaction between the subjective and objective occupational conditions in affecting the overall health of women workers in industries that have accommodated information technology. The sample consisted of 23 multinational establishments consisting of Americans, Japanese, Koreans, Taiwanese, Europeans and others. There were also 630 women respondents. Subjective occupational conditions included the nature of task, nature of supervision and management, and job autonomy. Objective occupational conditions include hazard exposures and content of job. Results show that the most prevalent issues among workers in the electronics industry included the need to upgrade skills, repetitive and fast paced work, pressure at work, and work that entailed both physically and mentally demanding tasks. The following differences were found between the electronics and garment industry of varying multinational ownership. The electronics industry is 32% more likely to have...
Introduction: Psychological literacy is a pedagogic approach that promotes the application of psy... more Introduction: Psychological literacy is a pedagogic approach that promotes the application of psychology knowledge to address societal, ethical, and cultural problems. Statement of the Problem: Psychological literacy is considered to be a core outcome of a psychology undergraduate degree, and scholars have called for more “psychologically literate” forms of summative assessment to reflect this. Literature Review: Throughout the pedagogic literature, scientific blogs have been proposed as a form of assessment that encourages reflection, creative thinking, and perspective taking. Teaching Implications: Here, we discuss the utility of blog writing as a summative assessment which fosters psychological literacy by encouraging students to engage with the interplay between subject knowledge and real-world applications. Conclusion: We reflect upon our experiences of embedding of scientific blogs in two final-year modules at a UK university and offer a commentary in the context of psychologi...
Information about everyday emotional experiences is integrated into internal scripts (e.g. Shaver... more Information about everyday emotional experiences is integrated into internal scripts (e.g. Shaver et al., 1987). Script content provides a context within which to compare and subsequently interpret newly experienced, emotional stimuli, such as facial expressions and behaviours. We explore whether this internal context may also be used to interpret emotional words. In particular, we argue that the ‘meaning’ of emotional verbs may be strongly context-dependent (e.g. Schacht & Sommer, 2009). Harnessing previous context-based methods, we define verb meaning by the degree of association between the behaviours to which they refer and discrete emotional states (e.g. ‘fear’), within emotional scripts (Stevenson, Mikels & James, 2007). We used a self-generation method to derive a set of verbs that participants associated with six universal, emotional states (study 1; see full list in appendix A). Emotion labels acted as script anchors. For each verb, degree of emotionality and discrete assoc...
The link between colour and emotion and its possible similarity across cultures are questions tha... more The link between colour and emotion and its possible similarity across cultures are questions that have not been fully resolved. Online, 711 participants from China, Germany, Greece and the UK associated 12 colour terms with 20 discrete emotion terms in their native languages. We propose a machine learning approach to quantify (a) the consistency and specificity of colour–emotion associations and (b) the degree to which they are country-specific, on the basis of the accuracy of a statistical classifier in (a) decoding the colour term evaluated on a given trial from the 20 ratings of colour–emotion associations and (b) predicting the country of origin from the 240 individual colour–emotion associations, respectively. The classifier accuracies were significantly above chance level, demonstrating that emotion associations are to some extent colour-specific and that colour–emotion associations are to some extent country-specific. A second measure of country-specificity, the in-group adv...
Quarterly journal of experimental psychology (2006), 2018
Immediate serial recall of digits is better when the digits are shown by highlighting them in a f... more Immediate serial recall of digits is better when the digits are shown by highlighting them in a familiar array, such as a phone keypad, compared with presenting them serially in a single location, a pattern referred to as "visuospatial bootstrapping." This pattern implies the establishment of temporary links between verbal and spatial working memory, alongside access to information in long-term memory. However, the role of working memory control processes like those implied by the "Central Executive" in bootstrapping has not been directly investigated. Here, we report a study addressing this issue, focusing on executive processes of attentional shifting. Tasks in which information has to be sequenced are thought to be heavily dependent on shifting. Memory for digits presented in keypads versus single locations was assessed under two secondary task load conditions, one with and one without a sequencing requirement, and hence differing in the degree to which they i...
Visuospatial bootstrapping (VSB) occurs when memory for verbal material is enhanced via associati... more Visuospatial bootstrapping (VSB) occurs when memory for verbal material is enhanced via association with meaningful visuospatial information. Sequences of digits are visually presented either in the center of the screen or within a keypad layout in which the digits may be arranged identically to familiar pin pad and mobile phone layouts, or randomly. Recall is consistently higher when digits are presented in the familiar layout. This " bootstrapping " could involve primarily long-term knowledge of the layout, primarily short-term memory of the unique spatial path, or may depend on both. We manipulated the path complexity of sequences to test whether the VSB effect depends on the quality of spatial representations in conjunction with the familiarity of the spatial layout in two experiments. We consistently observed both VSB effects and path complexity effects on verbal serial recall, but never observed any interaction between these factors, even when articulatory suppressio...
Each row represents the ratings of the intensity of 20 emotions associated with the color term gi... more Each row represents the ratings of the intensity of 20 emotions associated with the color term given by variable "color", by participant identified by variable "subject"
Anxiety is the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorder in the EU and 18% of the US populat... more Anxiety is the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorder in the EU and 18% of the US population experiences an anxiety disorder at any one time. However, only 20% of individuals experiencing anxiety receive a formally administered intervention, highlighting a need for evidence-based interventions that can be self-administered. Music listening can be flexibly self-administered and may be useful for anxiety reduction, but further evidence is needed. The current paper addressed this by conducting the first systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled studies testing music listening interventions for naturally occurring state anxiety. A protocol was registered on PROSPERO ID: CRD42018104308. Searches were carried out of the Cochrane Library, Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, Web of Science and CINAHL databases, yielding 6208 records. After screening for eligibility, 24 controlled studies were included in the review and 21 were included in the meta-analysis. Results of the meta-a...
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160806.][This corrects the article DOI: 10.1098/rsos... more [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160806.][This corrects the article DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160806.].
Many of us “see red,” “feel blue,” or “turn green with envy.” Are such color-emotion associations... more Many of us “see red,” “feel blue,” or “turn green with envy.” Are such color-emotion associations fundamental to our shared cognitive architecture, or are they cultural creations learned through our languages and traditions? To answer these questions, we tested emotional associations of colors in 4,598 participants from 30 nations speaking 22 native languages. Participants associated 20 emotion concepts with 12 color terms. Pattern-similarity analyses revealed universal color-emotion associations (average similarity coefficient r = .88). However, local differences were also apparent. A machine-learning algorithm revealed that nation predicted color-emotion associations above and beyond those observed universally. Similarity was greater when nations were linguistically or geographically close. This study highlights robust universal color-emotion associations, further modulated by linguistic and geographic factors. These results pose further theoretical and empirical questions about t...
Across cultures, people associate colours with emotions. Here, we test the hypothesis that one dr... more Across cultures, people associate colours with emotions. Here, we test the hypothesis that one driver of this cross-modal correspondence is the physical environment we live in. We focus on a prime example – the association of yellow with joy, – which conceivably arises because yellow is reminiscent of life-sustaining sunshine and pleasant weather. If so, this association should be especially strong in countries where sunny weather is a rare occurrence. We analysed yellow-joy associations of 6625 participants from 55 countries to investigate how yellow-joy associations varied geographically, climatologically, and seasonally. We assessed the distance to the equator, sunshine, precipitation, and daytime hours. Consistent with our hypotheses, participants who live further away from the equator and in rainier countries are more likely to associate yellow with joy. We did not find associations with seasonal variations. Our findings support a role for the physical environment in shaping the affective meaning of colour.
Items with high value are often remembered better than those with low value. It is not clear, how... more Items with high value are often remembered better than those with low value. It is not clear, however, whether this value effect extends to the binding of associative details (e.g., word colour) in episodic memory. Here, we explored whether value enhances memory for associative information in two different scenarios that might support a more effective process of binding between identity and colour. Experiment 1 examined incidental binding between item and colour using coloured images of familiar objects, whereas Experiment 2 examined intentional learning of word colour. In both experiments, increasing value led to improvements in memory for both item and colour, and these effects persisted after approximately 24 hr. Experiment 3a and Experiment 3b replicated the value effect on intentional word–colour memory from Experiment 2 while also demonstrating this effect to be less reliable when word colour is incidental to the encoding phase. Thus, value-directed prioritisation can facilita...
Visuospatial bootstrapping describes the observation that performance on a verbal memory task is ... more Visuospatial bootstrapping describes the observation that performance on a verbal memory task is enhanced by presenting the to‐be‐remembered material in a format with additional embedded spatial information. Thus far, it has only been reported in short‐term memory tasks. Here, we report two experiments assessing the impact of spatial information on the learning of sequences in long‐term memory. Experiment 1 used digits presented within a familiar numeric keypad as stimuli compared against single digits presented in one location. Experiment 2 used novel nonwords, which were either presented in an unchanging arrangement permitting the building‐up of location knowledge or in a constantly changing arrangement. Both experiments demonstrated strong evidence that reliable spatial information facilitated sequence learning, particularly in later sequence positions. It is concluded that the incidental availability of spatialized information during study can facilitate learning of sequences of...
This is an investigation on the interaction between the subjective and objective occupational con... more This is an investigation on the interaction between the subjective and objective occupational conditions in affecting the overall health of women workers in industries that have accommodated information technology. The sample consisted of 23 multinational establishments consisting of Americans, Japanese, Koreans, Taiwanese, Europeans and others. There were also 630 women respondents. Subjective occupational conditions included the nature of task, nature of supervision and management, and job autonomy. Objective occupational conditions include hazard exposures and content of job. Results show that the most prevalent issues among workers in the electronics industry included the need to upgrade skills, repetitive and fast paced work, pressure at work, and work that entailed both physically and mentally demanding tasks. The following differences were found between the electronics and garment industry of varying multinational ownership. The electronics industry is 32% more likely to have...
Introduction: Psychological literacy is a pedagogic approach that promotes the application of psy... more Introduction: Psychological literacy is a pedagogic approach that promotes the application of psychology knowledge to address societal, ethical, and cultural problems. Statement of the Problem: Psychological literacy is considered to be a core outcome of a psychology undergraduate degree, and scholars have called for more “psychologically literate” forms of summative assessment to reflect this. Literature Review: Throughout the pedagogic literature, scientific blogs have been proposed as a form of assessment that encourages reflection, creative thinking, and perspective taking. Teaching Implications: Here, we discuss the utility of blog writing as a summative assessment which fosters psychological literacy by encouraging students to engage with the interplay between subject knowledge and real-world applications. Conclusion: We reflect upon our experiences of embedding of scientific blogs in two final-year modules at a UK university and offer a commentary in the context of psychologi...
Information about everyday emotional experiences is integrated into internal scripts (e.g. Shaver... more Information about everyday emotional experiences is integrated into internal scripts (e.g. Shaver et al., 1987). Script content provides a context within which to compare and subsequently interpret newly experienced, emotional stimuli, such as facial expressions and behaviours. We explore whether this internal context may also be used to interpret emotional words. In particular, we argue that the ‘meaning’ of emotional verbs may be strongly context-dependent (e.g. Schacht & Sommer, 2009). Harnessing previous context-based methods, we define verb meaning by the degree of association between the behaviours to which they refer and discrete emotional states (e.g. ‘fear’), within emotional scripts (Stevenson, Mikels & James, 2007). We used a self-generation method to derive a set of verbs that participants associated with six universal, emotional states (study 1; see full list in appendix A). Emotion labels acted as script anchors. For each verb, degree of emotionality and discrete assoc...
The link between colour and emotion and its possible similarity across cultures are questions tha... more The link between colour and emotion and its possible similarity across cultures are questions that have not been fully resolved. Online, 711 participants from China, Germany, Greece and the UK associated 12 colour terms with 20 discrete emotion terms in their native languages. We propose a machine learning approach to quantify (a) the consistency and specificity of colour–emotion associations and (b) the degree to which they are country-specific, on the basis of the accuracy of a statistical classifier in (a) decoding the colour term evaluated on a given trial from the 20 ratings of colour–emotion associations and (b) predicting the country of origin from the 240 individual colour–emotion associations, respectively. The classifier accuracies were significantly above chance level, demonstrating that emotion associations are to some extent colour-specific and that colour–emotion associations are to some extent country-specific. A second measure of country-specificity, the in-group adv...
Quarterly journal of experimental psychology (2006), 2018
Immediate serial recall of digits is better when the digits are shown by highlighting them in a f... more Immediate serial recall of digits is better when the digits are shown by highlighting them in a familiar array, such as a phone keypad, compared with presenting them serially in a single location, a pattern referred to as "visuospatial bootstrapping." This pattern implies the establishment of temporary links between verbal and spatial working memory, alongside access to information in long-term memory. However, the role of working memory control processes like those implied by the "Central Executive" in bootstrapping has not been directly investigated. Here, we report a study addressing this issue, focusing on executive processes of attentional shifting. Tasks in which information has to be sequenced are thought to be heavily dependent on shifting. Memory for digits presented in keypads versus single locations was assessed under two secondary task load conditions, one with and one without a sequencing requirement, and hence differing in the degree to which they i...
Visuospatial bootstrapping (VSB) occurs when memory for verbal material is enhanced via associati... more Visuospatial bootstrapping (VSB) occurs when memory for verbal material is enhanced via association with meaningful visuospatial information. Sequences of digits are visually presented either in the center of the screen or within a keypad layout in which the digits may be arranged identically to familiar pin pad and mobile phone layouts, or randomly. Recall is consistently higher when digits are presented in the familiar layout. This " bootstrapping " could involve primarily long-term knowledge of the layout, primarily short-term memory of the unique spatial path, or may depend on both. We manipulated the path complexity of sequences to test whether the VSB effect depends on the quality of spatial representations in conjunction with the familiarity of the spatial layout in two experiments. We consistently observed both VSB effects and path complexity effects on verbal serial recall, but never observed any interaction between these factors, even when articulatory suppressio...
Uploads
Papers by Jelena Havelka