Modern Psychological Studies
Periodical Title
Modern Psychological Studies
Volume
23
Number
1
Publisher
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Place of Publication
Chattanooga (Tenn.)
Date
2017
Abstract
Visual perception facilitates quick reactions to ambiguous stimuli, a crucial survival characteristic in threat appraisal of unfamiliar circumstances. The current study investigated the impact of attention focusing on motion interpretation of ambiguous Rorschach Inkblot images displayed in black or red. Participants focused attention on three characteristics of 4 discrete priming images: identity, color, and motion. Each combination of prime and attentional focus was presented individually and in random order, and then participants were asked to describe a Rorschach Inkblot in open ended form. Motion interpretation was operationalized by the number of responses indicating that an ambiguous inkblot was perceived as in motion. The results showed that conscious focus on anticipating motion of a static image ascribes motion characteristics to a subsequent ambiguous image. We also observed a gender specific interaction, such that males focusing on color responded with fewer motion responses, but only when the inkblot was red. These results offer preliminary findings to help reduce threat appraisal in novel and ambiguous circumstances.
Subject
Psychology
Discipline
Psychology
Document Type
article
DCMI Type
Text
Language
English
Rights
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Recommended Citation
Hunsberger, Renee and Feigenson, Keith
(2017)
"Effects of attention and color on motion perception in Rorschach inkblot interpretation,"
Modern Psychological Studies: Vol. 23:
No.
1, Article 6.
Available at:
https://scholar.utc.edu/mps/vol23/iss1/6
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Department
Dept. of Psychology