Experimental Designs and the 'Emotion Stimulus Critique': Hidden Problems and Potential Solutions in the Study of Emotion.

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State: Public
Version: Author's accepted manuscript
Serval ID
serval:BIB_E023236265D0
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Publication sub-type
Review (review): journal as complete as possible of one specific subject, written based on exhaustive analyses from published work.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Experimental Designs and the 'Emotion Stimulus Critique': Hidden Problems and Potential Solutions in the Study of Emotion.
Journal
Psychopathology
Author(s)
Pascual-Leone A., Herpertz S.C., Kramer U.
ISSN
1423-033X (Electronic)
ISSN-L
0254-4962
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2016
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
49
Number
1
Pages
60-68
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
Emotional experience is increasingly being measured using experimental tasks, but the stimuli used are often only proxies for the emotion being studied. Stimuli are intended to evoke a distinct emotional experience, but certain designs fail to adequately control for the actual experience in question. In this methodological paper, we review designs used in clinical psychology aimed at measuring emotion and develop the argument of the 'emotion stimulus critique'. Designs of neuroimaging studies on emotion in this context are given preference. We argue that studies often concentrate on standardization of the stimulus material (i.e. words, images, and movies) for eliciting an emotional experience, whereas standardization of the actual participant's experience is seldom performed. Our proposal discusses the use of standardized stimuli in experimental designs and contrasts this with the necessity of controlling for a participant's unique emotional response. We highlight the importance of each participant's 'inner metric', i.e. the individual's experiential anchor, which needs to be taken into account when examining the emotional correlates of psychiatric disorders or psychotherapeutic change. Implications of the emotion stimulus critique for research are discussed within the context of psychology, particularly clinical psychology and psychotherapy.
Pubmed
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
17/11/2015 9:07
Last modification date
20/08/2019 16:04
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