McGinnies’ study

• How does emotion affect perception?

  The tendency of our brain to notice exciting things and block threatening things.
• What was the aim of this study?

  To know it anxiety-provoking things are noticed more than neutral things.
• What was the method of this study?

  Students shown neutral and ‘taboo’ words.

  Had to say word out loud.

  Emotional arousal measured through GSR.
• What were the results of this study?

  Took longer to say taboo words.

  Taboo words give bigger change in GSR.
• What can be concluded from this study?

  Emotion affects perceptual set, in this case perceptual defence.
• What is a positive evaluation of this study?

  Objective measurement.

  GSR is a scientific method to measure emotion, better than rating scales.
• What is a negative evaluation of this study?

  Embarrassment not defence.

  Delayed recognition may just be embarrassment not perceptual defence.