Want to find out your mood? Look it up online.

Consider the culture of today after an event is given importance—we discuss our feelings and opinions on facebook, twitter or a blog. An article reported in Scientific American: 60 Second Science the new methods researchers are implementing to investigate group emotions in cyberspace. According to Scientific American: 60 Second Science, Michael Jackson’s death elicited sadness on the web, while a joyful and proud moment was experienced during the U.S. Presidential election on November 2008.

The website titled “We Feel Fine”, reported in Scientific American: 60 Second Science, breaks down feelings based on gender, nationality and age and many other demographics.

You don’t facebook, blog or twitter you say. No need. Identifying yourself with a social group is sufficient to arouse emotions about “group-relevant objects and events” writes Diane Mackie and colleagues.

Scientific American: 60 Second Science story

‘We feel fine’ website

Mackie, D., Smith, E.R., & Ray, D.G. (2008) Intergroup Emotions and  Intergroup Relations

Hogg, Michael A. and R. Scott Tindale (eds). Blackwell Handbook of Social  Psychology: Group Process. Blackwell Publishing, 2002.

Appearance Matters

What advice would a tourist board give to the local community when the tourist numbers drop? Smile! The Paris tourist board concluded that appearance matters. The tourist board proceeded to request that the residents of Paris smile.  After conducting a travelers survey it was found that among the high cost of travel, tourists experience included the perception of unpleasantness.  The tourist board concluded that the impressions people form about Parisians affect the overall tourist economy.

However, asking the locals to smile is not enough. When visiting Paris expect to be greeted by specialists known as “smile ambassadors”. On certain days you may even experience roller skaters gather to form a smile.

The story featured in the Reuters section, Oddly enough, may not be as odd as it is presented to be. Social Psychologists, Leslie A. Zebrowitz and Joann M. Montepare, 2008, explain why first impressions start with looking at a persons face and how people make judgments about others. A safe conclusion is that smiling will give the best impression, tourists or not.

Read more: Reuters article on Paris smile campaign

Zebrowits, L.A. & Montepare, J.M (2008) Social Psychological Face Perception: Why Appearance Matters

Evaluating [bare] objects

A marketing campaign, including an airplane safety video from a New Zealand airline implements a strategy in hopes that passengers have a positive response and more importantly pay attention. A safety video presents a purportedly formally dressed flight crew. However a closer look reveals that the crew—presenting safety instructions—is wearing only body paint, nametags included. And while the crew delivers the safety information they playfully hint at the viewer to “take a closer look”.
To an unsuspecting observer the video is meant to add shock value while portraying a literal representation of the airlines marketing campaign. Additionally the video speaks to the evaluation of stimulus that may be appealing or demanding one’s attention.

Read more: Link to Reuters article

YouTube video

De Houwer, J. (2009) How People Evaluate Objects? A Brief Review