DOI: 10.5176/2251-1865_CBP45
Authors: John McDowall and Inga Forman
Abstract: The broaden and build theory of emotion maintains that affect is able to exert influence over attention, with positive affect broadening attention and negative affect narrowing it (Fredrickson, 2001). Positive affect results in a broadened thought-action repertoire. These emotions encourage exploration leading to increased “physical agility, social relationships, and heightened psychological resilience” (Wadlinger & Isaccowitz, 2006).
Negative affect has been shown to result in a narrowing of attention (Easterbrook, 1959). With respect to the broaden and build theory, this narrowing of the thought-action repertoire, or reduction in attention to irrelevant aspects of the environment, holds evolutionary value for engaging in specific behaviours such as attacking or fleeing (Fredrickson, 2001).
Rowe et al (2007) induced either a positive or negative mood in participants and then had them complete a standard flanker task, (Eriksen, & Eriksen, (1974). Participants in a positvie mood were slower to respond to target stimuli – consistent with the view that positive mood expands breadth of attention , thus resulting in increased distraction.
The current study investigated whether flanker distractibility effects could be found using briefly presented emotional schematic faces presented at the beginning of each trial of the flanker task.
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