Department of Behavioral Sciences, Zefat Academic College, Safed, Israel.
Department of Communication, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
Int J Psychol. 2024 Dec;59(6):812-821. doi: 10.1002/ijop.13154. Epub 2024 Jun 4.
This study explores the effects of bodily states on emotions based on embodied cognition theories of conceptual metaphor and feelings-as-information theory. Specifically, it investigates how physical suffocation induced by mask-wearing affects perceptions of emotional suffocation related to one's romantic relationship and financial situation. In this quantitative online experiment, we employed a convenience sampling method through a crowdsourcing platform. Adult participants (N = 180, 25 years or older and involved in a romantic relationship) were randomly assigned to three conditions: wearing COVID-19 masks properly, wearing masks on their chins, or not wearing masks. After completing a puzzle meant to prolong mask-wear, participants filled out digital questionnaires assessing their experiences of physical and psychological distress. The results supported our proposed mechanisms, revealing that increased feeling of physical suffocation while wearing masks properly, compared to the other conditions, was linked to heightened feelings of financial and romantic distress, supporting the conceptual metaphor account. This link was partially mediated by elevated state anxiety, aligning with the feelings-as-information theory. This study demonstrates how bodily experiences can impact emotional states, and highlights the complex interplay between everyday behaviours like mask-wearing and emotions.
本研究基于具身认知理论中的概念隐喻和情感即信息理论，探讨身体状态对情绪的影响。具体而言，研究调查了戴口罩引起的身体窒息感如何影响与恋爱关系和财务状况相关的情感窒息感的认知。在这项定量在线实验中，我们通过众包平台采用便利抽样法。成年参与者（N=180，25 岁或以上且处于恋爱关系中）被随机分配到三个条件：正确佩戴 COVID-19 口罩、将口罩戴在下巴上或不戴口罩。在完成一项旨在延长戴口罩时间的拼图游戏后，参与者填写了评估他们身体和心理困扰程度的数字问卷。研究结果支持了我们提出的机制，表明与其他条件相比，正确佩戴口罩时增加的身体窒息感与财务和恋爱困扰感的增强有关，这支持了概念隐喻理论。这种联系部分通过升高的状态焦虑得到中介，与情感即信息理论一致。本研究展示了身体体验如何影响情绪状态，并强调了日常行为（如戴口罩）和情绪之间的复杂相互作用。
