McGinnie's study on emotion affecting perception

• What is the relationship between perceptual set and emotion?

  Brain notices exciting things
• What is perceptual defense?

  Blocking threatening things
• What did McGinnies want to see in his study?

  Anxiety affects noticing things
• Who were the participants in McGinnies' study?

  Eight male and female students
• What were the two types of words used in McGinnies' study?

  Neutral and offensive words
• What measurement was used to assess emotional arousal in McGinnies' study?

  Galvanic skin response (GSR)
• How did participants respond to the words in McGinnies' study?

  They said the words out loud
• What was the key finding regarding reaction time to offensive words in McGinnies' study?

  Took longer to say
• How did taboo words affect the GSR in McGinnies' study?

  Produced bigger changes
• What did McGinnies conclude about the effect of emotion on perceptual set?

  Emotion affects perceptual set
• According to McGinnies, what is used by the brain when confronted with offensive words?

  Perceptual defence
• What strength did McGinnies study have in relation to measuring emotion?

  Used objective measurement
• What method did McGinnies use to test anxiety responses?

  Galvanic skin response
• Why might some argue that delayed recognition in McGinnies' study was due to embarrassment?

  Uncomfortable repeating rude words
• What is an alternative explanation for the delayed recognition of taboo words?

  Awkwardness
• What is a weakness of studies investigating perceptual defense, like McGinnies'?

  Results are contradictory
• Why is it difficult for psychologists to draw conclusions about perceptual defense?

  Conflicting evidence