Comparing Acoustic Startle Responses to Arthropod vs. Scenic Images with Insect Audio Probes
Disciplines
Cognitive Psychology
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Nature can be recognized for the natural beauty and energy that it can bestow throughout society and landscapes. However, some humans may think of nature and become overwhelmed with adverse emotions due to the ominous ecosystem of crawling and flying arthropods that reside there. Moreover, the sight of an arthropod or the mere sound of wings fluttering is enough to make most people startle and orient themselves to gather information about the organism and its location. The goal of this study is to explore the use of a novel, ethologically-based, insect buzzing sound probe to induce acoustic startle responses in the presence of scenic vs. arthropod images presented on a computer screen. Participants will rate each image for its appeal on a 2-point scale. It is hypothesized that participants will have heightened startle in response to the arthropod images compared to the scenic images. The research here is vital to the advancement of experimental and emotion testing as it can possibly provide a new use for smaller organism noises, like wing flutter, to effectively induce or heighten participant startles in future studies.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - Psychological Science
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Dr. Ebony Glover
Comparing Acoustic Startle Responses to Arthropod vs. Scenic Images with Insect Audio Probes
Nature can be recognized for the natural beauty and energy that it can bestow throughout society and landscapes. However, some humans may think of nature and become overwhelmed with adverse emotions due to the ominous ecosystem of crawling and flying arthropods that reside there. Moreover, the sight of an arthropod or the mere sound of wings fluttering is enough to make most people startle and orient themselves to gather information about the organism and its location. The goal of this study is to explore the use of a novel, ethologically-based, insect buzzing sound probe to induce acoustic startle responses in the presence of scenic vs. arthropod images presented on a computer screen. Participants will rate each image for its appeal on a 2-point scale. It is hypothesized that participants will have heightened startle in response to the arthropod images compared to the scenic images. The research here is vital to the advancement of experimental and emotion testing as it can possibly provide a new use for smaller organism noises, like wing flutter, to effectively induce or heighten participant startles in future studies.