Mental imagery shapes emotions in people's decisions related to risk taking

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cris.lastimport.scopus2025-08-31T03:13:52Z
dc.abstract.enThis research investigates the specific effects of mental imagery on people's emotional responses and risk-taking decisions. We present findings across four studies, including three experiments, that highlight emotions as a mediator between the valence of mental images related to risk and subsequent risk-taking propensity. Our research identifies two key factors that moderate this relationship: the category of cognitive process (analytical thinking vs. visual mental imagery) and the vividness of mental imagery. In Study 1, we found an effect of the valence of mental images on the intensity of emotional reactions, which in turn were linked to risk-taking willingness. Positive imagery corresponded with stronger positive emotions and increased declared risk taking. The experimental Study 2 provided causal evidence for these associations, showing that participants positively imagining risk-related behaviors reported more intense positive feelings and a greater inclination to take risks than those imagining risk taking in a negative manner. Subsequent preregistered experiments (Studies 3 and 4) corroborated our central hypothesis that mental imagery is a distinct driver of emotional responses in risk-related decision making and showed potential boundary conditions for this effect. Study 3 emphasized that decisions influenced by mental imagery had greater emotional strength than those based on analytical reasoning. The final Study 4 demonstrated that vividness of mental imagery further moderates this effect: more vivid images led to stronger emotions, thus affecting risk-taking propensity. These results underscore the significance of emotions in decision making, particularly when decisions are based on mental imagery rather than analysis, and point to the amplifying effect of image vividness on emotional and decision-making processes.
dc.affiliationInstytut Psychologii
dc.affiliationWydział Psychologii we Wrocławiu
dc.contributor.authorŚmieja, Joanna
dc.contributor.authorZaleśkiewicz, Tomasz
dc.contributor.authorGąsiorowska, Agata
dc.date.access2025-02-11
dc.date.accessioned2025-02-13T08:55:46Z
dc.date.available2025-02-13T08:55:46Z
dc.date.created2025-02-05
dc.date.issued2025-02-11
dc.description.accesstimeat_publication
dc.description.grantnumber2019/33/B/HS6/01920
dc.description.granttitleWyobrażenia umysłowe i emocje a decyzje w warunkach ryzyka i niepewności. Wizualizowanie przyszłości jako narzędzie w podejmowaniu decyzji.
dc.description.physical1-24
dc.description.versionfinal_published
dc.description.volume257
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.cognition.2025.106082
dc.identifier.eissn1873-7838
dc.identifier.issn0010-0277
dc.identifier.urihttps://share.swps.edu.pl/handle/swps/1274
dc.identifier.weblinkhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010027725000228?via%3Dihub
dc.languageen
dc.pbn.affiliationpsychologia
dc.rightsCC-BY
dc.rights.questionYes_rights
dc.share.articleOTHER
dc.subject.enMental imagery
dc.subject.enVividness
dc.subject.enEmotions
dc.subject.enDecision making
dc.subject.enRisk
dc.subject.enRisk-taking willingness
dc.swps.sciencecloudsend
dc.titleMental imagery shapes emotions in people's decisions related to risk taking
dc.title.journalCognition
dc.typeJournalArticle
dspace.entity.typeArticle