quantifying affect

Quantifying AffectQuantifying Affect

Reviewing the literature on Reviewing the literature on measuring and quantifying affect measuring and quantifying affect

outside of the museum communityoutside of the museum community

Kimberly M. BurtnykKimberly M. BurtnykCalifornia Science CenterCalifornia Science Center

What is Affect?What is Affect? Affect: “Feelings, attitudes, emotions.”Affect: “Feelings, attitudes, emotions.”

Affect: “Feelings, attitudes, values, beliefs.”Affect: “Feelings, attitudes, values, beliefs.”

Theoretical Models of Emotions: Theoretical Models of Emotions: (a) (a) primary modelprimary model (few basic emotions). (few basic emotions).

(b) (b) dimensional modeldimensional model (+/- & intensity). (+/- & intensity).

For our purposes, affect is:For our purposes, affect is: The component of an experience that involves The component of an experience that involves

how a person feels about an exhibit/visit or how a person feels about an exhibit/visit or how they feel while engaged in an activity. how they feel while engaged in an activity. Also internal dialogue.Also internal dialogue.

Why Study Affect?Why Study Affect?

“ “There is an interplay between emotions and There is an interplay between emotions and learning, but this interaction is far more learning, but this interaction is far more complex than previous learning theories have complex than previous learning theories have articulated… Csikszentmihalyi (1990) asserts articulated… Csikszentmihalyi (1990) asserts that a student’s affective (emotional) state that a student’s affective (emotional) state impacts learning and…appropriate impacts learning and…appropriate intervention based upon that affective state intervention based upon that affective state [can] facilitate learning.”*[can] facilitate learning.”* –Kort et al.* 2001. M.I.T.–Kort et al.* 2001. M.I.T.

* “An Affective Model of Interplay Between Emotions and Learning: Reengineering * “An Affective Model of Interplay Between Emotions and Learning: Reengineering Educational Pedagogy—Building a Educational Pedagogy—Building a Learning CompanionLearning Companion.”.”

Typical Measuring DevicesTypical Measuring Devices

Tell us how much you enjoyed your visit today:Tell us how much you enjoyed your visit today:

1)1)

2)2)

3)3) Terrible Mediocre Okay Good Great! Terrible Mediocre Okay Good Great!

00 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4

Typical Measuring DevicesTypical Measuring Devices

Problems?Problems? That’s only one small aspect of affect. That’s only one small aspect of affect.

What do those symbols really tell you What do those symbols really tell you about the visit experience? about the visit experience?

How do the answers enhance the affective How do the answers enhance the affective impact of your institution?impact of your institution?

How do the answers help exhibit and How do the answers help exhibit and program designers incorporate affect-program designers incorporate affect-generating experiences?generating experiences?

Solutions?Solutions?Look Elsewhere!Look Elsewhere! MarketingMarketing AnthropologyAnthropology Positive psychologyPositive psychology ComputingComputing Formal EducationFormal Education Leisure StudiesLeisure Studies

Three Promising ModelsThree Promising Models PADPAD = Pleasure, Arousal, Dominance (3-D = Pleasure, Arousal, Dominance (3-D

“emotion space”)“emotion space”) Mehrabian and Russell (1974)Mehrabian and Russell (1974) Marketing toolMarketing tool

PANASPANAS = Positive And Negative Affect Schedule = Positive And Negative Affect Schedule Watson et al. 1988Watson et al. 1988 Psychology toolPsychology tool Museum use introduced to VSA by JM Clipman, 2005Museum use introduced to VSA by JM Clipman, 2005

Semantic DifferentialSemantic Differential = Pairs of polar opposite = Pairs of polar opposite adjectives used to define attitudes, feelings, etc.adjectives used to define attitudes, feelings, etc.

Osgood et al (1957, 1969)Osgood et al (1957, 1969) Anthropology toolAnthropology tool Linguistics toolLinguistics tool

PAD, PAD, PANAS, and thePANAS, and theSEMANTIC DIFFERENTIALSEMANTIC DIFFERENTIAL

PADPAD – a semantic differential technique and a – a semantic differential technique and a dimensional model of emotiondimensional model of emotion

Defined by the concept that: “Emotional reactions Defined by the concept that: “Emotional reactions to one’s environment can be characterized by the to one’s environment can be characterized by the three response dimensions of three response dimensions of PPleasure, leasure, AArousal, rousal, and and DDominance.”ominance.”

Pairs of polar adjectives are rated on a -4 to +4 Pairs of polar adjectives are rated on a -4 to +4 point scale regarding a situation. The list of word point scale regarding a situation. The list of word pairs is well-definedpairs is well-defined


autonomous – guided aroused – unarousedrelaxed – bored

dominant – submissive wide awake – sleepyhopeful – despairing

important – awed jittery – dullcontented – melancholic

in control – cared forfrenzied – sluggishsatisfied – unsatisfied

influential – influencedexcited – calmpleased – annoyed

controlling – controlledstimulated – relaxedhappy – unhappy

DominanceArousalPleasure

Instructions: “Each pair of words describes a feeling dimension. Some of the pairs might seem unusual, but you may generally feel more one way than the other. So, for each pair, put a check mark, (Ex.: ___:_X_:___) to show how you feel about _____________. Please take your time so as to arrive at a real characteristic description of your feelings.


Analysis of PAD data:

Typically, 7 segments between words

Check marks are converted into numbers depending on the orientation of the word pairs

After administration, orient all positively connoted words on one side of the list

Construct a profile analysis for different groups of respondents to compare means, Std Dev, max/min


Sample Profile Analysis

4 Exhibit Means Profile Analysis (exhibits presented second)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Active

-Pas

sive

Stale-

Fresh

Dull-V

ibra

nt

Relev

ant-P

ointle

ss

Inte

rest

ing-B

oring

Stodg

y-In

spirin

g

Simul

ating

-Ted

ious

Invit

ing-

Offputtin

g

Simpl

e-Com

plex

Routin

e-Nov

el

Cal

ibra

ted

sco

res

(7 +

ve.)

IslamicAstronomy B

History ofScience B

Fear B

Biology ofFlight B

PAD,PAD, PANAS, PANAS, and theand theSEMANTIC DIFFERENTIALSEMANTIC DIFFERENTIAL

PANASPANAS Published in 1988 by Watson et al

Positive Affect (PA) = “the extent to which a person feels enthusiastic, active and alert. High PA is a state of high energy, full concentration, and pleasurable engagement, whereas low PAis characterized by sadness and lethargy.”

Negative Affect (NA) = “a general dimension of subjective distressand unpleasurable engagement that subsumes a variety of aversive mood states, including anger, contempt, disgust, guilt,fear, and nervousness, with low NA being a state of calmness andserenity.”


PANASPANASWatson et al assert that: “[Positive and negative affect] consistently emerge in studies of

affective structure, both in the United States and in a number of

Other cultures.” and that “positive and negative affect have

consistently emerged as two dominant and relatively independent

dimensions.”

Also, Positive and Negative Affect are orthogonal dimensions

rather than negatively correlated.


PANASPANAS Introduced to VSA in 2005 by Dr. Jane Marie Clipman of

Penn State

Likert-type scaling: Assign a number per word expressing the extent to which they felt that way during their visit

1 2 3 4 5 very slightly a little moderately quite a bit extremely or not at all

_____ interested _____ irritable_____ distressed _____ alert_____ excited _____ ashamed_____ upset _____ inspired_____ strong _____ nervous_____ guilty _____ determined_____ scared _____ attentive_____ hostile _____ jittery_____ enthusiastic _____ active_____ proud _____ afraid


PANASPANASPros 20 individual, independent variables are

measurable at once Familiar format (Likert scale)

Cons List of words is not entirely appropriate for

museum use It’s a unidirectional scale (measures

intensity of an emotion, but the scale is more susceptible to the subjective/ ambiguous nature of the words)


PANASPANASScoring/Analyses “Global effect scale” - Add up all the +ve and –ve

scores

Profile analyses

T-tests

Factor analyses

PAD, PANAS, and thePAD, PANAS, and theSEMANTIC DIFFERENTIALSEMANTIC DIFFERENTIAL

Originated in the 1940s-50s withanthropological studies

“generally regarded as a good tool for measuring affect …Its score represents the respondent’s general impression about the attitude object. Because of this, it is useful in situations where people are likely to have strong emotionalreactions to a topic but not well thought out opinions.”

Three “dimensions” of response account for most of the co-variation in ratings: Evaluation, Potency and Activity (EPA).


Semantic DifferentialSemantic DifferentialPolar-opposite adjective pairs. Visitors place a mark between the words indicating the extent to which they feel one way relative to the other. E.g.

Active ___:___:__:___:___:___:___ PassiveStale ___:___:___:___:___:__:___ FreshDull ___:___:___:___:__:___:___ VibrantRelevant ___:__:___:___:___:___:___ PointlessInteresting __:___:___:___:___:___:___ BoringStodgy ___:___:___:___:___:__:___ InspiringStimulating ___:__:___:___:___:___:___ TediousInviting ___:___:__:___:___:___:___ Off-puttingSimple ___:___:___:___:__:___:___ Complex Routine ___:___:___:___:__:___:___ Novel


Pros:Pros: Economical way of gathering affective data

Less ambiguous feedback – provides clearer benchmarks for definitions

Can be used with adults or children, and cross cultural

Multivariate approach

Permits comparison of affective reactions to disparate things

Generalizable. Used for decades to measure attitude change and formation, attitudes toward jobs, occupations, organizations etc.

Using pure scales (evaluation, potency, activity) produces reliable measures of a person’s overall response to something

Cons:Cons: Learning curve for usageLearning curve for usage

A bit more time consuming (requires more thought)A bit more time consuming (requires more thought)

Word pairs must be chosen from established lists…though there are good Word pairs must be chosen from established lists…though there are good almost exhaustive lists available for referencealmost exhaustive lists available for reference


Analysis:Analysis: A concept is rated on several pure scales

associated with a single dimension.

Results are averaged to provide a single factor score for each dimension.

You’re left with the concept’s affective “profile.”