The Effects of Personal Background Information on Perception and Emotion

Roberta Sakizzie, Lynnea Lee, Jessica Coker, Rachel Rogers, and Oscar Garcia; Sharon R. Sears, Ph.D.
Psychology Department, Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO 81301

Abstract

Results

The present study proposed and tested the effects of personal background
information on perception and emotion based on hypothetical scenarios
about alcohol consumption which people are hypothesized to be more
sympathetic and understanding knowing more information background
than not knowing any background information on the given situation. The
participants were chosen from introduction to psychology or sophomore
seminar class. The independent variable is the two hypothetical scenarios;
one with Johnnys background information and one with no background
information. The dependent variables that we looked at were based on
fifteen different questions rated on a likert scale about the participants
emotion and perception based on the hypothetical scenarios given.

In our research we hypothesized that with more background information

participants would be more sympathetic and understanding of the
individual than not having any background information. The results of this
study was that there was a significant difference in the data collected from
the participants assigned to the two different conditions of receiving a
scenario of having a more detailed background information than having no
background information. The p value was less than .05.

Background

Discussion

Previous Literature:
Alcohol consumption is multiply determined by both situational
and dispositional factorsIdentification of these high-risk situations
allows an individual to use coping strategies, either to avoid the
situation or to find alternatives to drinking. High-risk situations
can be categorized as intrapersonal or interpersonal. (Carey, 1993)
That People drink alcohol to regulate the quality of their emotional
experience is widely accepted. Both anecdotal and scientific evidence
indicate that individuals use alcohol to reduce or manage dysphonia (to
cope) as well as to enhance positive emotional experience. (Cooper, Frone,
Russell, and Mudar, 1995).
Alcohol myopia suggests that alcohol constrains our ability to connect
immediate experience with prior experience, limiting the extent to which
the present is permeated by emotions derived from preexisting thoughts
and ideas. (Fairbairn and Sayette, 2013).
Goals of the Current Study and Hypotheses:
The goal of this study was to see if emotion and perception would be
affected based on Johnnys alcohol consumption and his choices.
Our hypothesis was that with more background information
participants would be more sympathetic, less judgmental and more
understanding of Johnnys decision making than having no
background information of Johnnys decision making.

These findings from our research showed that there was a significant
difference of personal background information having effect on
participants perception and emotion from the hypothetical scenarios given
at random, so our hypothesis we presented were supported from the data
we collected. Strengths of the study were that we had a good start of what
we wanted and had a good idea of what the different scenarios should
detail. The limitations of this study was that not all participants were
present so more data couldve been used. Implications could included that
not all participants were completely honest with responses or perhaps
second guessed their responses. Suggestion for future research could be
questioning the survey differently.

Method
Participants: The 59 participants (36 Females, 23 Males; ages 17-46)
were a convenience sample of undergraduate students at Fort Lewis
College who provided written informed consent and voluntarily
participated in our study in a classroom setting.
Independent Variable Conditions (between groups design):
Condition 1: Background
Condition 2: NO Background
Dependent Variable Measures: Upset, Right Path, Time off, Good Person
Procedure: 1) Randomly assigned participants to read one of two
hypothetical scenarios, 2) Participants then answered 15 questions after

DV

IV
Background
M (SD)

IV
No
Backgrou
nd
M (SD)

t (df)

P<.05

Upset

3.97 (1.60)

3.39
(1.93)

1.56

.217**

Right
Path

5.81 (1.05)

5.21
(1.31)

3.70

.060**

Time Off

3.29 (1.97)

2.36
(1.64)

3.87

.054**

Good
Person

5.45 (1.21)

4.57 (.96)

9.48

.003**

References
Carey, K. B., (1993). Situational determinants of heavy
drinking among college students. Journal of Counseling
Psychology, 40(2), 217-220.
Cooper, M.L., Frone, M.R., Mudar, P., and Russell, M.,
(1995). Drinking to regulate positive and negative
emotions: a motivational model of alcohol use. Journal
of Personality and Social Psychology, 69(5), 900-1005.
Fairbairn, C.E., and Sayette, M.A., (2013). The effect of
alcohol on emotional inertia: a test of alcohol myopia.
Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 122(3), 770-781.