Automaticity and affective responses in valence transfer: Insights from the crossmodal auditory-visual paradigm

Abstract

The current study examined valence transfer in the crossmodal paradigm in order to test the generalizability of the phenomenon and to contribute to a better understanding of the underlying processes. Western European participants evaluated Asian ideographs to be more visually pleasant when in the presence of pleasant sounds than when in the presence of neutral or unpleasant sounds (Experiment 1). Experiment 2 was conducted to reduce the demand characteristics, and to investigate the involvement of affective responses. We measured facial electromyography (EMG) and skin conductance responses (SCR) from participants evaluating ideographs while a piece of music was playing in the background. Evaluative judgments of the ideographs reflected subtle variance of valence within the piece of music. The extent of this valence transfer depended on the extent of SCRs within the respective trial. In addition, ideograph judgments were accompanied by concordant affective responses within facial EMG. The findings suggest that valence transfer from brief stimuli can be generalized to the crossmodal paradigm, occurs even if the experimental procedure obscures the purpose of investigation (i.e., automatically), and that affective responses are involved.