How the Emotional Content of Discourse Affects Language Comprehension

Emotion effects on cognition have often been reported. However, only few studies investigated emotional effects on subsequent language processing, and in most cases these effects were induced by non-linguistic stimuli such as films, faces, or pictures. Here, we investigated how a paragraph of positive, negative, or neutral emotional valence affects the processing of a subsequent emotionally neutral sentence, which contained either semantic, syntactic, or no violation, respectively, by means of event-related brain potentials (ERPs). Behavioral data revealed strong effects of emotion; error rates and reaction times increased significantly in sentences preceded by a positive paragraph relative to negative and neutral ones. In ERPs, the N400 to semantic violations was not affected by emotion. In the syntactic experiment, however, clear emotion effects were observed on ERPs. The left anterior negativity (LAN) to syntactic violations, which was not visible in the neutral condition, was present in the negative and positive conditions. This is interpreted as reflecting modulatory effects of prior emotions on syntactic processing, which is discussed in the light of three alternative or complementary explanations based on emotion-induced cognitive styles, working memory, and arousal models. The present effects of emotion on the LAN are especially remarkable considering that syntactic processing has often been regarded as encapsulated and autonomous

Searching, navigating, and recommending movies through emotions: A scoping review

Movies offer viewers a broad range of emotional experiences, providing entertainment, and meaning. Following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, we reviewed the literature on digital systems designed to help users search and browse movie libraries and offer recommendations based on emotional content. Our search yielded 83 eligible documents (published between 2000 and 2021). We identified 22 case studies, 34 empirical studies, 26 proof of concept, and one theoretical paper. User transactions (e.g., ratings, tags) were the preferred source of information. The documents examined approached emotions from both categorical (n=35) and dimensional (n=18) perspectives, and nine documents offer a combination of both approaches. Although there are several authors mentioned, the references used are frequently dated, and 12 documents do not mention the author or the model used. We identified 61 words related to emotion or affect. Documents presented on average 1.36 positive terms and 2.64 negative terms. Sentiment analysis () is frequently used for emotion identification, followed by subjective evaluations (n= 15), movie low-level audio and visual features (n = 11), and face recognition technologies (n = 8). We discuss limitations and offer a brief review of current emotion models and research.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Investigating Visual Differences Between Japanese and American Animation

This study looked at animation produced in the US and Japan, in order to discover the visual differences between the two. After sampling from four distinct animations of the US and Japan, over 300 screenshots were captured. A visual content analysis of the 300 screenshots was conducted, focusing on differences in character psychological status and environment rendering. Results revealed that Japanese animation contained at least three times more psychological depictions and used more subdued coloring than American animation. Lastly, using semiotic analysis, the findings from the content analysis were interpreted and potential reasons for the differences between the two animations are discussed

Mood manipulation and attentional processes : electrophysiological investigations of the affect-cognition interaction

Although there has been considerable research into the effects of major affective disorders on perception and cognition, there has been less focus on the influence of everyday fluctuations in mood on general cognitive skills. Neurocognitive models of affect-cognition interactions implicate frontal cortical networks and predict that where task control is reliant on such networks, there will be a greater negative impact of mood change. The initial study in this thesis compared the effectiveness of 3 standard mood induction techniques as assessed by a subjective mood assessment instrument. The most effective changes were only evident with the induction of negative mood, using the Velten Mood induction technique, which was therefore adopted for subsequent studies. Three further studies employed a within-subject design, investigating the effect of neutral and negative mood on 3 tasks selected for a) increasing levels of cognitive demand and complexity, and b) the increasing involvement of frontal areas of control. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were measured using a 128 channel dense array system. It was predicted that mood induction would differentially activate the frontal areas, as measured by increased negative amplitude in frontal ERPs, lateralised to the left: hemisphere, and be associated with changes in task performance and the associated ERP 'signature'. The first task, an 'odd-ball' task, was oflow cognitive demand and associated with centralparietal control, and showed no disruption at the behavioural or cortical level. The second task, a standard Stroop task, also showed no behavioural disruption but there were moodrelated differences in frontal ERPs. Increases in negativity caused the pattern of activity associated with congruent and incongruent trials to be reversed. The final task, an N-back working memory task, again showed minimal disruption at the behavioural level, but significant differences in lateralised frontal activity as a function of mood. Again, increased negativity within in left: hemisphere led to a reversal of asymmetry during the cognitively demanding 3-back task. The data are interpreted in terms of Ellis and Ashbrook's Resource Allocation Model, which predicts that depressed moods lead to a reduction in the capacity of resources allocated to the control of cognitive tasks. It is concluded that the maintenance of performance is associated with increased allocation of cortical resources

Does emotion shape language?:Studies on the influence of affective state on interactive language production

Publiekssamenvatting promotie Charlotte Out Mensen zijn emotionele wezens. Door bijvoorbeeld met een vriend te praten over onze gevoelens, kunnen we taal gebruiken om deze emoties te uiten. Maar ook als we onze gevoelens niet (expliciet) benoemen, beïnvloeden emoties de manier waarop we communiceren. Eerder onderzoek heeft bijvoorbeeld laten zien dat verdrietige mensen, vergeleken met blije mensen, doorgaans met een zachtere stem praten en zich meer richten op hun gesprekspartner. Er is nog niet zoveel bekend over de invloed van emoties op ons taalgedrag, al lijkt er een bijzonder en essentieel verband te zijn tussen emoties en gesproken taal. Om dit verder te onderzoeken, hebben we voor dit proefschrift vier experimenten gedaan, waarbij we hebben gekeken naar de invloed van emoties op de communicatie tussen gesprekspartners in een dialoog. Deze vier experimenten zijn geïnspireerd op eerder onderzoek, waarbij we aan de ene kant proberen de resultaten van dat onderzoek te bevestigen (replicatie), en aan de andere kant er op voort te bouwen. Omdat het grootste deel van onze experimenten in meer natuurlijke situaties plaatsvonden, zoals spontane gesprekken tussen twee proefpersonen, zijn onze resultaten beter te generaliseren naar het dagelijkse leven dan het meeste onderzoek waarop ons proefschrift is gebaseerd. Voor onze experimenten hebben we het taalgedrag bestudeerd van studenten, waarbij we bij één experiment ook een steekproef van mensen met autisme hebben onderzocht. De bevindingen van dit proefschrift laat zien dat er een belangrijke, maar soms subtiele relatie is tussen emotie en gesproken taal. Zo hebben we gevonden dat mensen die objecten aan elkaar beschrijven zich iets meer aan elkaars woordkeuze aanpassen als ze de emotie walging ervaren, dan wanneer ze zich geamuseerd voelen. Ook vonden we dat emoties invloed hebben op hoe mensen met elkaar communiceren over gevoelige onderwerpen zoals pesten, waarbij mensen in een negatieve stemming vaak op een meer indirecte manier vragen stellen aan hun gesprekspartner dan mensen in een positieve stemming. We vonden dit effect echter alleen bij een groep mensen met autisme en niet bij mensen zonder autisme. Gebaseerd op de resultaten van onze experimenten kunnen we concluderen dat gevoelens een invloed hebben op hoe mensen (met elkaar) communiceren, waarbij zowel onze sociale gedrag als ons taalgebruik wordt beïnvloed door onze emoties

Towards a Multimodal Pragmatic Analysis of Film Discourse in Audiovisual Translation

This paper is about the introduction and use of Multimodal Pragmatic Analysis (MPA) as a research methodology in audiovisual translation (AVT). Its aim is to show the contribution of the MPA to the analysis of film discourse in AVT with a focus on interlingual subtitling. For this purpose, the paper is divided into five sections which elaborate on the theoretical and practical aspects of the MPA methodology. Following the introduction, the second section defines the context of MPA as a new research methodology in AVT at the level of approach, design and procedure. The third section describes the theoretical base of this methodology, and the fourth examines its basic components and levels of analysis. The fifth section provides two practical examples to show how the MPA methodology operates in the analysis of speech acts appearing in the source text and the target text. Finally, the last section first discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the methodology and then concludes the paper with some suggestions for further research.L’article présente l’analyse pragmatique plurimodale (APP) comme méthode de recherche en traduction audiovisuelle (TAV). L’objectif est de montrer l’apport de l’APP à l’analyse du discours cinématographique dans le cadre de la TAV, une attention particulière étant portée au sous-titrage interlinguistique. L’article se divise en cinq sections dans lesquelles sont développés les aspects théoriques et pratiques de l’APP. Dans la deuxième section, qui suit l’introduction, l’APP est située en tant que nouvelle méthodologie de recherche en TAV. La troisième section se penche plus en détail sur ses fondements théoriques, tandis que la quatrième en décrit les composantes de base et les niveaux d’analyse. La cinquième section présente deux exemples pratiques qui montrent comment l’APP s’applique à l’analyse des actes de parole présents dans le texte de départ et dans le texte d’arrivée. Enfin, la dernière section présente les avantages et les désavantages de la méthode et se conclut par quelques suggestions pour des recherches ultérieures

The Relationship Between Mood and Implicit Learning

This dissertation investigates whether a person’s current mood state influences their ability to learn implicitly. Implicit learning refers to learning about regularities in the environment without having conscious access to the information (e.g., Reber, 1967). According to the affect-as-information hypothesis, a positive mood increases global processing of incoming information and negative mood leads to local processing (e.g., Clore & Storbeck, 2006); however, most previous studies that investigated mood and cognition have focused on more explicit types of learning and decision making, but few have examined implicit processes. Thus, the current experiments examined how varying levels of mood and arousal affect artificial grammar learning. A pilot experiment demonstrated an advantage for positive mood when the images were mood inducing. Experiment 1 had a separate mood induction phase and participants completed an artificial grammar task that contained letters. These results replicated an earlier study by Pretz et al. (2010) that showed an advantage for those in a negative mood. Experiment 2 was an expansion of the pilot by including standardized images and two additional mood groups (positive-high arousal and neutral). However, there were no significant differences between mood conditions. Experiment 3 used categories of pictures and found a disadvantage for those in a positive / high aroused state. While the patterns across the experiments were slightly different, altogether, the results were not consistent with the predictions made by the affect-as-information hypothesis. As addressed in the dissertation, this could be due to certain elements of the artificial grammar learning procedure, such as the long viewing phase diminishing the mood and arousal induction effects. The dissertation also considers other possibilities, including the idea that implicit learning is not as affected by mood as explicit learning

The Role and Impact of the Environment in Saving Private Ryan

Although certain films may not be explicitly labeled as environmental film, we approach Saving Private Ryan through an ecocritical analysis. We evaluate how the film not only displays the physical and mental tolls of war in several bloody battles, but we also explore the environmental costs. By examining the genre of historical realism, we demonstrate how the film outlines the unique role of the environment in war but also enables the viewers to consider the impacts of war on the surrounding environment. To understand the environmental message in Saving Private Ryan, we used a concept called the “Three Ecologies” by the ecocinema scholar, Adrian J. Ivakhiv. By considering the perceptual and social environments on-screen in Saving Private Ryan, it allows us to think about the material impact of war on real settings. Therefore, the unique role of the environment in war is seen through the portrayal and highlighted importance of weather, geography, and resources. The marine environment was also found to be disturbed due to the numerous vessels and equipment lost at sea, and along the beaches of Normandy. The certain stylistic elements used in this Hollywood Blockbuster are used to depict the film’s various settings and action to help us understand the role of the environment in how viewers engage with the film. Overall, this study evaluates how Saving Private Ryan provides an invaluable commentary on the environmental aspect of an iconic battle in world history