Emotional Responses Research Articles

The Human Side of Generative AI: Creating a Path to Productivity

The rapid rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) presents both opportunities and challenges for organizations. While generative AI offers transformative potential to boost productivity through new forms of data creation, its implementation also brings significant human impacts that require thoughtful leadership. This article explores the human side of generative AI from both theoretical and practical perspectives, focusing on change management, people-centered design, and responsible implementation. Key areas include managing cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses to AI-driven change, as well as fostering cultures of transparency, learning, and accountability. The article highlights best practices such as early stakeholder involvement, iterative evaluation, and robust governance to ensure generative AI aligns with human needs and ethical standards. Case studies, including Anthropic’s AI safety efforts, illustrate how leaders can promote responsible innovation by integrating human-centered practices throughout the technology lifecycle. By proactively addressing the human dimensions of AI adoption, organizations can achieve sustainable productivity gains while maintaining trust, well-being, and ethical integrity.

Decisions to seek cognitive performance feedback: Potential determinants of feedback value and consequences for learning

Performance feedback is essential for effective learning. Feedback contains both informational and affective properties. Following negative feedback (indicating an incorrect response), the unpleasant experience of being wrong can diminish the value of constructive information that feedback also provides. This can hinder motivation to seek feedback, which can impede learning. Therefore, research into factors that directly shape the subjective value of feedback is critical. The current study investigated potential behavioral and physiological contributors to feedback valuation and to subsequent feedback-seeking behavior. Fifty-nine participants completed a willingness-to-pay associative memory task that measured feedback valuation via trial-wise decisions to either purchase or forgo feedback during a learning phase in service of maximizing a performance-contingent monetary reward during a future test phase. Skin conductance response (SCR) was also measured during feedback decisions. Lower confidence in response accuracy significantly predicted higher likelihood of purchasing feedback during learning. Neither self-reported emotional responses to feedback nor SCR during feedback decisions predicted feedback purchases. Purchase decisions yielding negative feedback significantly predicted better performance during test. These results suggest that confidence during learning significantly impacts performance feedback valuation and should be considered when devising methods to motivate feedback-seeking in settings where learning is critical to success.

Social media attention and retail investor behavior: Evidence from r/wallstreetbets

This paper studies the influence of Reddit social media attention on investor risk-taking and welfare using individual trading data from a large trading platform. We show that attention generated on the subreddit r/wallstreetbets (WSB) spurs uninformed trading, also in short positions. WSB attention increases overall risk levels as investors trade riskier stocks and allocate larger portfolio shares to new positions. WSB attention significantly reduces holding period returns (HPRs). Positions created when WSB attention is at its highest realize -8.5% HPRs, while the average HPR across all investments is positive. Investment decisions of retail investors are more likely to be based on emotional responses to angry and disgusted user contributions on Reddit rather than analyst investment advice.

Fear among patients with Parkinson's disease and repeated falls: Analysis of skin conductance responses during simulated accidents

IntroductionThe fear of falling (FoF) usually increases in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD); however, it can decrease despite repeated falls for unknown reasons. This phenomenon is similar to the findings that the patients with PD show lower emotional responses in the decision-making during the Iowa gambling task (IGT) than of those without PD. The decision-making during the IGT is reportedly correlated with interoceptive accuracy. This phenomenon could be associated with decreased physiological reaction and interoception deficiency. This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with decreased FoF in patients with PD who fell repeatedly. MethodsWe recorded the skin conductance responses (SCR) during the task delivered by a virtual reality system and heartbeat perception task (HPT) as an interoceptive measure. We measured emotional self-awareness using visual analog scale (VAS) scores. We recruited 28 non-demented patients with PD and 24 age-matched Non-clinical population (NC) group. All patients with PD were grouped by FoF scale score and number of falls within the previous year into repeated falls without FoF, repeated falls with FoF, and no falls groups. ResultsThe SCR during all accident videos experienced by themselves were significantly lower in the repeated falls without FoF group than in the NC group (p < 0.01). The HPT was significantly lower in the repeated falls without FoF group than in the NC group (p = 0.007). ConclusionThe repeated falls without FoF group did not recognize recurrent falls as being problematic, possibly associated with decreased physiological reactions and interoception deficiency.

Development of a codebook for the narrative analysis of in-hospital trauma interviews of patients following stroke.

Given their sudden onset and life-threatening consequences, strokes and transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) can trigger posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). To gain a deeper understanding of the potential influence of factors in patients' descriptions of these medical events on PTSD, we conducted a standardized trauma interview with a convenience sample of patients hospitalized for suspected stroke/TIA (N = 98) to assess the details and emotional experience of the stroke/TIA event. Three researchers reviewed the interviews and the research literature on risk and protective factors for PTSD. From this analysis, a codebook with descriptions, examples, and scoring protocols for eight Likert scale, two categorical, and four binary codes was developed. Upon demonstrating sufficient interrater reliability, the research team scored all narratives. Three superordinate themes were identified in the analysis: distress (e.g., fear, helplessness), potential protective factors (e.g., positive expectancies, concern for loved ones), and level of detail (e.g., somatic detail, emotional detail). Differences in perceptions, themes, and expectations emerged in the narratives, indicating a wide range of responses following stroke/TIA. Additionally, patient age was negatively correlated with scores for the fear, r = -.34, p <.001, and negative consequences, r = -.24, p =.018, codes and positively associated with the likelihood of having positive expectancies, OR = 1.05, 95% CI [1.00, 1.10], p =.039. These findings provide a more comprehensive understanding of how patients reflect on their experiences post-stroke/TIA and can inform future research on the contributions of trauma narrative characteristics and emotional responses to PTSD risk.

From Fear to Resilience: A Scoping Review of Psychological Components in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rehabilitation.

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, prevalent in athletic contexts have profound physical and psychological impacts. Despite extensive research on the physiological aspects of ACL recovery, the psychological dimensions of this process have gained increased attention. This scoping review delves into the intricate landscape of psychological factors influencing ACL rehabilitation. Scoping review. A literature search across multiple databases was conducted to identify relevant published studies that provide insight into the psychological aspects of ACL recovery. This search spanned various study designs, enabling a nuanced understanding of the psychological intricacies surrounding ACL recovery. Overall, a total of 1830 unique articles were screened, of which 66 were included in this review. Our findings are further contextualized through alignment with insights from prior reviews on similar themes. Through a comprehensive analysis of diverse literature, we explore 3 key themes: psychological challenges, current rehabilitation programs, and the integration of psychological support. Psychological challenges emerged as a pervasive aspect of ACL rehabilitation, encompassing fear, anxiety, motivation, and depression. The nuanced emotional responses, particularly the fear of reinjury, impact treatment adherence and overall well-being. Contemporary rehabilitation programs revealed inconsistencies in incorporating psychological support, emphasizing the need for standardized, multidisciplinary approaches. The alignment with prior reviews in the literature reinforced the importance of psychological traits, such as knee self-efficacy, in predicting positive outcomes. This scoping review provides a comprehensive overview of psychological factors within ACL rehabilitation, highlighting the importance of tailored interventions and standardized approaches. The integration of multidisciplinary expertise emerges as crucial for optimizing patient outcomes. Our findings not only contribute to a nuanced understanding of psychological nuances in ACL rehabilitation but also offer valuable implications for clinical practice and policy development.

The phenotype of recovery XII: A reinforcer pathology perspective on associations between delay discounting and pain catastrophizing in substance use disorder recovery

BackgroundSubstance use disorder (SUD) and pain are highly comorbid conditions and several pain indices (e.g., pain intensity) are associated with an increased risk of relapse. However, the cognitive-emotional experience of pain (i.e., pain catastrophizing) is understudied in SUD recovery. Further, how the association between pain catastrophizing and delay discounting - a posited biomarker of addiction, impacts multidimensional aspects of SUD recovery, including remission and quality of life (QOL), has yet to be examined. MethodsIndividuals (n = 170) in SUD recovery reporting pain were asked about their chronic pain status, completed the Brief Pain Inventory, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, an Adjusting Amount Delay Discounting Task, and the World Health Organization QOL-BREF scale. Univariate logistic and linear regressions examined associations between delay discounting and several pain indices with remission and QOL. Mediation analyses were investigated whether pain catastrophizing mediates the relationship between delay discounting and 1) sustained remission and 2) QOL. ResultsSignificant negative associations were found between delay discounting (p < .001) and pain catastrophizing (p = .001) with sustained remission. Pain catastrophizing significantly mediated the relationship between delay discounting and physical QOL (p = .044), psychological QOL (p = .009), social (p = .018), and environmental QOL (p = .014). Pain catastrophizing did not mediate the relationship between DD and sustained remission. ConclusionIndividuals with greater DD exhibited greater pain catastrophizing, contributing to poorer QOL in SUD recovery. Our findings support that a Reinforcer Pathology framework is useful to understanding the cognitive-emotional experience of pain within the context of SUD recovery. Interventions that target both delay discounting and maladaptive cognitive and emotional responses to pain may lessen the negative impact of pain on SUD recovery and improve SUD outcomes.

Grief Responses During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study in Spain

IntroductionThe recent COVID-19 pandemic led to a rise in the number of people bereaved by the death of a loved one. There are many pandemic-related stressors that may have further complicated grief in these people. The aim of this research was to conduct an in-depth the experience of illness and death during the pandemic, as well as obstacles to and factors facilitating grief in people who had lost a loved one during this period, whether due to COVID-19 or to natural or sudden causes. MethodThe sample consisted of 42 participants who had lost loved ones to COVID-19 or other causes (both natural and sudden). An inductive approach using grounded theory with open, axial and selective coding was used to analyse the semi-structured open-ended interviews. ResultsThe resulting theory was structured around a central category: “Processes of Loss and Grief in Pandemics”. The other relevant and related categories were: disease processes during the pandemic, emotional responses to the loss, factors facilitating the grieving process and obstacles to the grieving process. The various analytical categories were then further classified with reference to the Dual Process Model. ConclusionThis study highlights the main features of grief during the pandemic, including the impact of restrictive measures on disease processes; the funeral rituals performed and subsequent coping; responses such as intense shock, anger, fear or loneliness; and the way in which factors facilitating the grief process were adapted to the circumstances.

Investigating how Cultural Contexts Shape Social Media Experiences and their Emotional Consequence

This study investigates the impact of cultural contexts on social media experiences and their emotional consequences. With over 4.8 billion global users, social media plays a pivotal role in shaping communication and interpersonal relationships. However, cultural factors such as individualism vs. collectivism, power distance, and uncertainty avoidance significantly influence how users engage with these platforms. Utilizing a quantitative approach, this research explores the relationships between cultural dimensions, social media engagement patterns, and emotional outcomes across diverse cultural groups. Data was collected from approximately 1,000 participants, equally divided between Western and Eastern cultural contexts, using standardized questionnaires assessing cultural orientation, social media usage, and emotional responses. The analysis revealed that individualism positively correlates with social media engagement (r = 0.450, p &lt; 0.01), while collectivism negatively affects engagement frequency (r = -0.320, p &lt; 0.05). High power distance (r = -0.290, p &lt; 0.05) and uncertainty avoidance (r = -0.350, p &lt; 0.01) negatively impacted user interactions, highlighting cultural constraints on online behavior. Furthermore, the study found that social media engagement mediates the relationship between cultural factors and emotional outcomes, with significant differences in emotional responses observed between Western (M = 4.80) and Eastern (M = 3.20) cultures. The findings emphasize the importance of culturally sensitive approaches in mental health interventions and social media platform design, advocating for tailored strategies that account for the unique needs and experiences of users from different cultural backgrounds. This research contributes to the growing body of literature at the intersection of culture, technology, and psychology, offering insights valuable for both academic and practical applications in enhancing user well-being in the digital age.

User emotion recognition and indoor space interaction design: a CNN model optimized by multimodal weighted networks

In interior interaction design, achieving intelligent user-interior interaction is contingent upon understanding the user’s emotional responses. Precise identification of the user’s visual emotions holds paramount importance. Current visual emotion recognition methods rely solely on singular features, predominantly facial expressions, resulting in inadequate coverage of visual characteristics and low recognition rates. This study introduces a deep learning-based multimodal weighting network model to address this challenge. The model initiates with a convolutional attention module, employing a self-attention mechanism within a convolutional neural network (CNN). As a result, the multimodal weighting network model is integrated to optimize weights during training. Finally, a weight network classifier is derived from these optimized weights to facilitate visual emotion recognition. Experimental outcomes reveal a 77.057% correctness rate and a 74.75% accuracy rate in visual emotion recognition. Comparative analysis against existing models demonstrates the superiority of the multimodal weight network model, showcasing its potential to enhance human-centric and intelligent indoor interaction design.

Interdisciplinary Labor

This reflection explores the anxiety and physical sensations felt by some scholars when navigating interdisciplinary research. The author describes personally experienced physical and emotional challenges faced during collaborative research, emphasizing the lack of common language and knowledge, and arguing for greater acknowledgment of these embodied experiences. The aim is to foster more honest and productive interdisciplinary dialogues, highlighting the importance of addressing emotional and physical responses to being able to succeed in collaborative research settings. Funding AcknowledgementThis work was supported by Riksbankens jubileumsfond (grant #MXM19-1161:1), to whom thanks are noted.

The Impact of Video Game Dimensions on Brand Love: A Guide for the Gaming Industry 2023-2024

This research paper investigates the factors contributing to brand love among gamers, with the aim of enhancing user experience and optimizing marketing strategies within the gaming industry. The study explores how specific gameplay elements and sensory triggers—such as rewards, personalization, music, and storytelling—affect emotional connections and foster brand loyalty. Additionally, it examines the application of neuromarketing techniques to gain a deeper understanding of consumer behavior and to promote stronger emotional engagement with gaming products, while also highlighting the importance of addressing ethical considerations and cultural differences in these strategies. Despite the growing popularity of video games, there is a notable lack of comprehensive research on the factors that elicit brand love, which limits developers' and marketers' ability to create engaging experiences that drive loyalty. Utilizing qualitative analysis involving professional gamers, developers, and bloggers, the study provides valuable insights for stakeholders aiming to develop more engaging and intuitive gaming experiences. It contributes to the academic literature on brand love and consumer behavior by identifying key dimensions of video games that evoke brand love. Specifically, the research focuses on: (1) analyzing how gameplay and sensory triggers enhance emotional connections, (2) exploring the impact of neuromarketing techniques on emotional responses, and (3) offering actionable recommendations for improving user experience and boosting customer loyalty. The major research question investigates which video game dimensions can trigger brand love, with subsidiary questions examining the effects of game and sensory triggers, and the potential role of neuromarketing in this context.

Peer threat evaluations shape one’s own threat perceptions and feelings of distress

ABSTRACT We are continuously exposed to what others think and feel about content online. How do others’ evaluations shared in this medium influence our own beliefs and emotional responses? In two pre-registered studies, we investigated the social transmission of threat and safety evaluations in a paradigm that mimicked online social media platforms. In Study 1 (N = 103), participants viewed images and indicated how distressed they made them feel. Participants then categorised these images as threatening or safe for others to see, while seeing how “previous participants” ostensibly categorised them (these values were actually manipulated across images). We found that participants incorporated both peers’ categorisations of the images and their own distress ratings when categorizing images as threatening or safe. Study 2 (N = 115) replicated these findings and further demonstrated that peers’ categorisations shifted how distressed these images made them feel. Taken together, our results indicate that people integrate their own and others’ experiences when exposed to emotional content and that social information can influence both our perceptions of things as threatening or safe, as well as our own emotional responses to them. Our findings provide replicable experimental evidence that social information is a powerful conduit for the transmission of affective evaluations and experiences.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AIR QUALITY AND FINANCIAL RISK AVERSION: A VIEW OF HETERO‐GENEOUS RESPONSE TO AIR POLLUTION

This paper conducts experiments on a sample of subjects from Chengdu and Wuhan, China, who are mostly unconcerned about air pollution. We provide evidence on the relationship between air quality and financial risk aversion by assessing the plausibility of two channels: affects and cognitive ability. We find that air pollution increases the financial risk aversion of subjects who are concerned about it by altering their emotional responses. However, the cognitive abilities of our subjects are not affected by air pollution, regardless of whether they are concerned about the pollution or not. Meanwhile, we show that reference dependence effect can explain why most subjects in our sample are not highly concerned about air quality. The results of our study stress the importance of beliefs about the impact of air pollution in determining the relationship between air pollution and human behavior.

Daily effects of a brief compassion-focused intervention for self-compassion.

Interventions for increasing self-compassion are typically assessed through retrospective reports, which may not accurately capture everyday self-compassionate behaviour. Our study addresses this using experience sampling to evaluate a brief compassion-focused intervention's effects on needs for self-compassion, awareness of opportunities for self-compassion, self-compassionate behaviour and emotional responses to one's distress in daily life. Results indicated that the intervention was associated with less likelihood of reporting needs and opportunities for self-compassion but with no difference in self-compassionate actions or emotional experience. When participants acted self-compassionately, they reported more positive emotional experiences after needing self-compassion. This underscores the disparity between retrospective and ecological assessments, emphasizing the need for interventions to be evaluated in real-life contexts.

The Influence of Storytelling Techniques in Digital Marketing on Brand Loyalty: A Consumer Psychology Perspective

This study investigates the impact of storytelling techniques in digital marketing on brand loyalty, focusing on consumer psychology perspectives. The research aims to identify how storytelling, through emotional resonance, authenticity, and cultural relevance, fosters brand loyalty by creating deep, psychological connections with consumers. A qualitative research approach was applied, involving a systematic literature review of academic journals, books, and industry reports on storytelling, digital marketing, and consumer-brand relationships. The analysis was conducted using thematic coding, which categorized data into primary themes, including emotional engagement, brand authenticity, and cultural adaptation. Results indicate that storytelling effectively influences consumer loyalty by evoking emotional responses, establishing brand trust through authentic narratives, and enhancing engagement through culturally relevant content. Findings reveal that storytelling in digital marketing transforms brands into relatable entities, reinforcing loyalty through shared values and identity alignment. The study concludes with theoretical and managerial implications, suggesting that brands should prioritize authentic and culturally adaptive storytelling to cultivate lasting consumer loyalty in a competitive digital landscape. Future research should further examine the long-term effects of storytelling on loyalty across different digital platforms and cultural contexts.

Impact of covid-19 on family dynamics in relation to age: A comparative study

This study examines the differential impact of COVID-19 on family dynamics across two distinct age groups: young adults (20-40 years) and middle-aged adults (41-60 years). The primary aim is to assess how the pandemic affected family interactions and emotional well-being in relation to age. A sample of 100 participants was selected, with 50 individuals from each age group. Data was collected using a validated questionnaire designed to measure the pandemic's impact on family dynamics through a Likert-type scale. Descriptive statistics, including mean and standard deviation, were calculated for each group, followed by a t-test to compare the two age groups. The results indicate a statistically significant difference in the impact on family dynamics, with a t-value of -2.15 and a p-value of 0.034, suggesting that middle-aged adults experienced more significant changes in family dynamics compared to young adults. This study contributes to understanding the age-related psychological and emotional responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and highlights the need for targeted interventions based on age-specific challenges.

How does the same piano piece have a different impact on the mood of different age groups and different genders?

developing in the field of music therapy. This study aims to investigate the different emotional changes experienced by participants of different ages and genders when listening to the same piece of piano music. Participants will complete an emotional scale questionnaire (options include calmness, excitemend, anger, happiness, sadness) after listening to the same stimulus (the piano piece). The results will be analyzed through a paired t-test and presented graphically. The study finds that women tend to experience more positive emotions than men. Furthermore, there are significant differences in emotional responses between different age groups, particularly with regard to how older adults react emotionally to music. These findings suggest that the same piece of music can resonate differently with various demographic groups, playing a positive role in music therapy.

The Role of Photography in Breaking News Events: The Trump Assassination as an Example

This paper explores the role of photography in breaking news events through photographs taken by Evan Vucci during the Trump assassination. Using content analysis, the study analyzed 105 public articles to explore the visual guiding power of photography and how the media uses images to influence public opinion. The study found that photography can quickly attract public attention and influence the emotional level, while media can shape a specific narrative framework through selective display. The life of a news report lies in vividness, truth, and vividness. The same is true of news photography. Capturing real moments with both visual and emotional impact is the best news photo [1]. Meanwhile, it points out the shortcomings of China’s WeChat in reporting, such as ignoring the victims and the deep-rooted causes, and suggests that the media should reflect on the problems in reporting and take social responsibility. The study also offers suggestions for future reporting practices, emphasizing the key role of photojournalism in shaping public perception and the importance of media ethics. The limitation of the study is that the sample mainly focuses on WeChat, with a short timeframe, and future research will expand the sample and deepen the analysis of the audience’s psychological and emotional responses.

Diverse Attitudes Toward AI-Produced Music: A Case Study between Instrument Learners and Non-Instrument Learners in Yangtze River Delta Region

Recently, with the gradual popularization of AI technology in music, AI music generation technology, as a tool, has triggered thoughts about the transformation of traditional music composition while enhancing the innovation and efficiency of music creation. This study aims to explore the different attitudes toward AI-generated music among instrumental and non-instrumental learners in the Yangtze River Delta region of China, so as to increase the knowledge of AI music composition technology. This study uses a questionnaire method to collect quantitative data, with semi-structured interviews as a qualitative supplement. It is found that most people are aware of AI music technology and express acceptance. The style, uniqueness, and quality of AI-generated works, as well as the convergence of the technology on traditional platforms, and copyright issues, are topics of concern. The differential impact of whether or not one has learned a musical instrument on attitudes towards AI music centers on personal preference. The low price of the service was a significant influencing factor for those who embraced the improved AI technology. In addition, instrumental learners placed more emphasis on the professionalism, artistry, and emotionality of AI music, while non-instrumental learners placed more emphasis on the technological convenience and affordability of AI music. This study helps to demonstrate the influence of instrumental learning experiences on people’s attitudes towards AI music generation, and can provide inspiration for further exploration of music education research in cross-cultural contexts. Meanwhile, the emotional relationship and cognitive responses between humans and AI music can be revealed more.