Neutral Movie Research Articles

Moderation of distress-induced eating by emotional eating scores

Earlier studies assessing the possible moderator effect of self-reported emotional eating on the relation between stress and actual food intake have obtained mixed results. The null findings in some of these studies might be attributed to misclassification of participants due to the use of the median splits and/or insufficient participants with extreme scores. The objective of the two current studies was to test whether it is possible to predict distress-induced eating with a self-report emotional eating scale by using extreme scorers. In study 1 ( n = 45) we used a between-subjects design and emotional eating was assessed after food intake during a negative or a neutral mood (induced by a movie). In study 2 ( n = 47) we used a within-subjects design and emotional eating was assessed well before food intake, which occurred after a control or stress task (Trier Social Stress Task). The main outcome measure was actual food intake. In both studies self-reported emotional eating significantly moderated the relation between distress and food intake. As expected, low emotional eaters ate less during the sad movie or after stress than during the neutral movie or after the control task, whereas high emotional eaters ate more. No such moderator effect was found for emotional eating in the entire sample ( n = 124) of study 1 using the median-split procedure or the full range of emotional eating scores. We conclude that it is possible to predict distress-induced food intake using self-reports of emotional eating provided that the participants have sufficiently extreme emotional eating scores.

Exposure to slim images in mass media: Television commercials as reminders of restriction in restrained eaters.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to explore the effects of exposure to slim images and diet-related products in commercials on actual food intake in relation to dietary restraint. Design: An experimental design was used, in which food intake was measured in 124 female students who watched either a sad or a neutral movie on television, which was interrupted by either commercials featuring slim models and diet products, or neutral commercials. Subsequently, participants filled out questionnaires on dietary restraint and any tendency toward overeating. Main outcome variable: Intake of snack food while watching television. Results: It was found that highly restrained students exposed to commercials with slim models and diet-related products ate less food, whereas less restrained eaters ate slightly more after seeing these commercials. Conclusion: The findings suggest that restrained eaters confronted with diet products and slim images when watching television will be reminded of their restricted eating behavior and eat less. The present study provides support for the reinhibition theory of slim media images.

Stress-induced reduction in reward-related prefrontal cortex function

Acute psychological stress can trigger normal and abnormal motivated behaviors such as reward seeking, habitual behavior, and drug craving. Animal research suggests that such effects may result from actions of catecholamines and glucocorticoids that converge in brain regions that regulate motivated behaviors and incentive processing. At present, however, little is known about the acute effects of stress on these circuits in humans. During functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), twenty-seven healthy young women performed a modified version of the monetary incentive delay (MID) task, which is known to robustly engage ventral striatal and medial prefrontal regions. To induce psychological stress, strongly aversive movie clips (versus neutral movie clips) were shown with the instruction to imagine being an eyewitness. Physiological (cortisol levels, heart rate frequency, and heart rate variability) and subjective measurements confirmed successful induction of moderate levels of acute psychological stress. Brain imaging data revealed that stress induction resulted in a significant decrease in reward-related responses in the medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) without affecting ventral striatal responses. Our results thus show that acute psychological stress induces regionally specific changes in functioning of incentive processing circuits. This regional specificity is in line with animal data showing inverted U-shaped relations between levels of stress-related neuromodulators and functioning of the PFC, a structure that is believed to be critical for coordinating behavior in accordance with higher order internal goals. Our findings thus suggest that stress-related increases in habitual and reward-seeking behaviors may be triggered primarily by an impairment of such PFC-dependent cognitive control mechanisms.

Maternal encouragement to be thin moderates the effect of commercials on children's snack food intake

The present study experimentally tested the effects of adult targeted food commercials (energy-dense and light food products) on actual snack food intake in young children while watching television. Furthermore, the moderating role of maternal behaviors was investigated. The children (N=121, aged between 8 and 12 years) were exposed to a neutral movie that was interrupted by two commercial breaks. These breaks contained commercials promoting either energy-dense foods, low energy versions of the same energy-dense foods (light food commercials), or neutral commercials aimed at adults. Snack food intake during watching television was measured. Children filled out questionnaires and were weighed and measured afterwards. Children who perceived maternal encouragement to be thin ate slightly more when exposed to energy-dense food commercials and especially when exposed to light food commercials than when exposed to neutral commercials. In contrast, children who perceived no maternal encouragement to be thin ate more when exposed to neutral commercials than when exposed to either energy-dense food commercials or light food commercials. These findings suggest that exposure to adult targeted light food cues produced disinhibition in children who experienced maternal encouragement to be thin, resulting in elevated snack food intake.

The effects of TV commercials using less thin models on young women's mood, body image and actual food intake

This study experimentally tested the effects of exposure to television commercials using less thin models on mood, body focused anxiety and food intake, as compared to the effects of commercials using thin models. In a naturalistic setting, 110 young women were exposed to a neutral movie, interrupted by two commercial breaks. The commercial breaks contained real commercials using either less thin ( n = 32) or thin models ( n = 39), or neutral commercials ( n = 39). During watching television, participants could freely eat snack food. Further, their mood and body focused anxiety was assessed. ANOVAs revealed no effects on body focused anxiety, but women reported a more negative mood and ate less after exposure to commercials using less thin models than after exposure to commercials using thin models. These results imply that using less thin models in commercials explicitly referring to the thin ideal does not make women feel better.

Exposure to slim images in mass media: Television commercials as reminders of restriction in restrained eaters.

The aim of the present study was to explore the effects of exposure to slim images and diet-related products in commercials on actual food intake in relation to dietary restraint. An experimental design was used, in which food intake was measured in 124 female students who watched either a sad or a neutral movie on television, which was interrupted by either commercials featuring slim models and diet products, or neutral commercials. Subsequently, participants filled out questionnaires on dietary restraint and any tendency toward overeating. Intake of snack food while watching television. It was found that highly restrained students exposed to commercials with slim models and diet-related products ate less food, whereas less restrained eaters ate slightly more after seeing these commercials. The findings suggest that restrained eaters confronted with diet products and slim images when watching television will be reminded of their restricted eating behavior and eat less. The present study provides support for the reinhibition theory of slim media images.

Het effect van slanke vrouwen in commercials op eetgedrag bij lijners

The present study aimed at further examining the effects of exposure to slim media models and light-products in commercials on food intake in relation to restrained eating. Food intake was measured in 124 female students while they watched a neutral or sad movie interrupted by either neutral commercials, or commercials with slim models and light-products. Afterwards, participants were asked to fill out questionnaires on restrained eating and the tendency to overeat. It appeared that high restrained eaters who were exposed to commercials with slim models and light-products ate much less compared to high restrained eaters who were exposed to neutral commercials, whereas unrestrained eaters who were exposed to commercials with slim models and light-products ate slightly more than when exposed to neutral commercials. This might suggest that restrained eaters who watch slim media models and light-products on television could be reminded of their diets.

Impact of regular meditation practice on EEG activity at rest and during evoked negative emotions

The main objective of the present investigation was to examine how long-term meditation practice is manifested in EEG activity under conditions of non-emotional arousal (eyes-closed and eyes-open periods, viewing emotionally neutral movie clip) and while experiencing experimentally induced negative emotions (viewing aversive movie clip). The 62-channel EEG was recorded in age-matched control individuals (n=25) and Sahaja Yoga meditators (SYM, n=25). Findings from the non-emotional continuum show that at the lowest level of arousal (eyes closed) SYM manifested larger power values in theta-1 (4–6 Hz), theta-2 (6–8 Hz) and alpha-1 (8–10 Hz) frequency bands. Although increasing arousal desynchronized activity in these bands in both groups, the theta-2 and alpha-1 power in the eyes-open period and alpha-1 power while viewing the neutral clip remained still higher in the SYM. During eyes-closed and eyes-open periods the controls were marked by larger right than left hemisphere power, indexing relatively more active left hemisphere parieto-temporal cortex whereas meditators manifested no hemisphere asymmetry. When contrasted with the neutral, the aversive movie clip yielded significant alpha desynchronization in both groups, reflecting arousing nature of emotional induction. In the control group along with alpha desynchronization affective movie clip synchronized gamma power over anterior cortical sites. This was not seen in the SYM. Overall, the presented report emphasizes that the revealed changes in the electrical brain activity associated with regular meditation practice are dynamical by nature and depend on arousal level. The EEG power findings also provide the first empirical proof of a theoretical assumption that meditators have better capabilities to moderate intensity of emotional arousal.

Trait anxiety impact on posterior activation asymmetries at rest and during evoked negative emotions: EEG investigation

The main objective of the present investigation was to examine how high trait anxiety would influence cortical EEG asymmetries under non-emotional conditions and while experiencing negative emotions. The 62-channel EEG was recorded in control ( n=21) and high anxiety (HA, n=18) non-patient individuals. Results showed that in HA subjects, the lowest level of arousal (eyes closed) was associated with stronger right-sided parieto-temporal theta-1 (4–6 Hz) and beta-1 (12–18 Hz) activity, whereas increased non-emotional arousal (eyes open, viewing neutral movie clip) was marked by persisting favored right hemisphere beta-1 activity. In turn, viewing aversive movie clip by the HA group led to significant lateralized decrease of the right parieto-temporal beta-1 power, which was initially higher in the emotionally neutral conditions. The EEG data suggests that asymmetrical parieto-temporal theta-1 and beta-1 EEG activity might be better interpreted in terms of Gray's BAS and BIS theory.

Emotions in a Body Plethysmograph

Abstract: The role of strong emotions in eliciting asthmatic exacerbations has been discussed in psychosomatic theory for decades. This relationship has mostly been studied in asthmatic individuals, while healthy control groups have received limited attention. Measuring procedures have partially been held responsible for conflicting results. We tested a new laboratory method on 20 healthy volunteers to examine the influence of emotions on airway obstructions. Short affective states were induced by presenting a negative (sadness), a positive (amusement), and a neutral movie clip lasting about 2 min with participants being seated in the glass box of a whole body plethysmograph - the gold standard for measuring airway resistance (Raw). Raw, specific airway resistance (sRaw), and thoracic gas volume (TGV) were measured in a baseline condition and immediately after each video presentation; in addition, sRaw was measured before and during each clip presentation. Based on subjects' ratings, the relevant affective states were successfully induced, while no specific state was provoked by the neutral movie. Airway obstructions, expressed as increases of sRaw, were observed during both the negative and positive clip but also in the neutral condition. No substantial effect of mood induction on Raw and TGV was obtained. The findings show a nonspecific effect of watching affective film clips on airway obstruction as measured by whole body plethysmography. Recommendations for a modified experimental protocol are given for future studies using this technique as a promising method.

Personality and reciprocal inhibition theory: The link between aggression and sexual reactivity

Abstract The study tries to relate two approaches often discussed in the context of aggression and violence in combination with sexual arousal, the reciprocal inhibition theory (Wolpe, 1958) and an approach from personality psychology which emphasizes the psychoticism dimension (P) according to Eysenck and Eysenck (1975) as a mediator of violent sexual offence. The effects of preexposure to a violent vs. neutral movie on sexual reactivity to violent and non-violent sexual stimuli (audioplays and pictures) was studied in a male student population ( N =64). Sexual reactivity was measured by self-ratings, inspection time and electrodermal activity. Results could not confirm reciprocal inhibition theory but revealed that sexual reactivity for subjects scoring high vs. low on the psychoticism/aggressiveness dimension were differently affected by preexposure to violence.

Sensitivity to disgust as an indicator of neuroticism: A psychobiological approach

This study was conducted to confirm previous questionnaire data claiming higher sensitivity to disgust in neurotics, by an experimental approach. Biological variables which had previously been demonstrated to reflect stress (salivary cortisol) and/or emotional lability (secretory immunoglobulin A = sIgA) were used as markers for reactivity to induced feelings of disgust. Thirty-two healthy male subjects were randomly assigned to an experimental group (induction of disgust) or a control group. Selected sequences of the German movie Die Blechtrommel were used to induce disgust while subjects in the control condition were exposed to neutral movie sequences in a matched order. At defined time points ratings on emotional states as well as saliva samples for determination of sIgA and cortisol were obtained. Subjects were divided into high and low neurotics ( N + N − ). The results clearly demonstrate that the movie sequences induced feelings of disgust. However, N + could not be identified as high responders by questionnaire data. With respect to biological responsiveness, marked reductions in sIgA were observed in both groups. However, N − returned to baseline levels within 10 min, whereas in N + decreased secretion rates of sIgA were observed until the end of the experiment. For cortisol no changes could be observed in either group. The results are discussed with respect to a reduced ability to recover or re-adapt in subjects high in neuroticism.

Neuroendocrine responses to emotional arousal in normal women.

The neuroendocrine effects of many stressful challenges and experimentally induced emotional states have been investigated in humans, but few data are available concerning the psychobiological correlates of the emotional arousal induced by TV violence, fear and conflictual emotions. In this study we evaluated cardiovascular, hormonal and mood changes induced by the view of a violent or, in random order, neutral movie in 20 healthy young women. The emotional arousal was associated with a significant increase in heart rate, systolic blood pressure and significant changes in self-evaluated mood states. beta-Endorphin, adrenocorticotrophic hormone, epinephrine and growth hormone showed a significant increase during emotional arousal, with a significant interaction mood-time. Cortisol increased significantly during the violent movie (areas under curves analysis), but not significant interaction mood-time has been demonstrated. Prolactin and norepinephrine levels did not show a significant change during the emotional stimulus. Our data evidence the existence of neuroendocrine changes associated with the defence mechanism and aroused by movie violence and conflictual situations.

Priming aggressive thoughts: The effect of the anticipation of a violent movie upon the aggressive behaviour of the spectators

In order to examine the effects of filmed violence expectancy, male subjects were induced to thinck that they would watch an aggressive or neutral movie. The behavioural measures of aoggression of the potential viewers were collected via an interaction aggressometer that allowed subjects to manipulate the level of aversiveness of electric shocks supposedly delivered to others. Main results indicated that the mere anticipation of viewing an aggressive movie was already effective in producing the usual instigation effect of filmed violence. Evidence was also provided indicating that degree of physical provocation influenced subjects' aggressive responses. The results are discussed in terms of Berkowitz' (1984) cognitive-neoaossociation analysis; anticipating a violent movie may prime aggressive behaviour

Identifying Sexual Preferences in Intrafamilial and Extrafamilial Child Sexual Abusers

Twenty-seven erotic and sexually neutral movie clips were shown to 191 men, consisting of 62 heterosexual intrafamilial child sexual abusers, 57 heterosexual and 25 homosexual extrafamilial child sexual abusers and 47 community controls. The stimuli depicted males and females from ages 6 to 25 years. Maximum penile volume changes were recorded during the 30 second stimulus presentations. Analyses showed that the phallometric test had high internal consistency (alpha=0.93) and revealed the expected erotic preference profiles for controls and extrafamilial offender groups. The homosexual group reacted most to 13–15 year old boys which made them more easily discriminated from the other groups. The intrafamilial offenders, however, overlapped considerably with controls and only 10% showed a pattern of penile responses expected for the ‘classical pedophile’, i.e., largest responses to female children. The pattern of results supported the accumulating evidence that child sexual abusers are heterogeneous in terms of their sexual preference profiles.

Shortened REM latency: a consequence of psychological strain?

ABSTRACTPrevious research has demonstrated that in healthy subjects sit uat ional strain may provoke not only sleep disturbances characteristic of depression (e.g., shortened REM latencies), but also alterations in dream content. Nevertheless, there are some controversial results. The aim or our study was to clarify these inconsistencies by developing a design which might avoid some methodological problems which were present in some of these previous studies. Eleven male subjects slept in the laboratory for 7 consecutive nights. During 1 evenings they saw a stressful and a neutral movie in randomized order. The subsequent nights included REM sleep awakenings for the purpose of dream collections. Whereas the subjects were demonstrably affected by the disturbing films, the patterns of subsequent sleep remained unchanged. In contrast manifest content of the initial dreams were clearly altered. Whereas the modes of dreaming were quite different within post‐stress nights, mood was unproved the next morning in all subjects. The results are discussed within the framework of several prevailing concepts about sleep, dreams, and psychological strain.

Audience effects when viewing aggressive movies.

In order to examine audience effects when viewing filmed violence, male subjects watched an aggressive or a neutral movie either alone, accompanied by a passive confederate (i.e. mere presence of a co-spectator), or an active one (i.e. reacting to the movie). The subsequent behavioural measures of subjects' aggression were collected via a modified aggression apparatus. The usual instigation effect of filmed violence was found. Furthermore, the type of audience also influenced aggression: subjects accompanied by an active confederate during the violent movie displayed their aggressive behaviour most. These findings stress the importance of the social context when filmed violence is viewed. The results are discussed in terms of social facilitation and disinhibition effects. It is suggested that an active audience may promote a reduction of restraints against aggressing by showing the subject that aggression is permissible.

The influence of an audience upon the reactions to filmed violence

AbstractIn order to examine audience effects when viewing firmed violence, 5 to 6 year old pre‐school boys who had been rated as submissive by their teachers watched an aggressive or a neutral movie either alone, accompanied by another submissive classmate, or a dominant one. Subsequent aggression against a frustrating, unknown and unseen boy was delivered via a modified Buss machine, especially adapted for children. Subjects accompanied by a dominant peer were more aggressive than the others but did not react differentially to the movies. Subjects tested alone were more aggressive after the violent film than after the neutral one and the opposite pattern occurred for the boys accompanied by a submissive classmate. These findings stress the importance of the social context when viewing filmed violence. It is suggested that the quality of the audience can have different directional (e.g. fear and aggression) as well as energizing properties. Links with the literature on social facilitation and audience effects are underlined.

An Application of Social Learning Theory in Affecting Change in a Group of Student Teachers Using Video Modeling Techniques

This research was conducted to determine the extent to which imitation can he employed in the education of student teachers. A pretest-posttest control group design was employed. A 20-minute, video taped, model teacher demonstration with a high I/D ratio was shown to twenty Ss. Another twenty Ss were exposed to a neutral movie. Specific lessons by the Ss were then audio taped and analyzed using the I/D and revised I/D ratios. Analysis of covariance revealed significant differences existing between treatment groups where posttesting was done within 48 hours after exposure. Results support earlier findings on imitation and suggest both theoretical and technical application for teacher education.