FIGURE 1.

Graphic depiction of the experimental procedure. Participants performed an evaluative judgment task on textual and pictorial stimuli, respectively. The order of stimulus domains (i.e., pictorial, textual) was balanced across participants. To ensure comparable initial situations, each experimental session started with the presentation of three emotionally neutral stimuli. At the beginning of each trial, two serially presented fixation crosses had to be looked at for 500 ms. After assessing participants’ mood, 40 emotionally valenced stimuli were sequentially displayed while recording eye movements. Pictures were viewed for a fixed period of 3 s. Reading of vignettes was self-controlled. Ratings of perceived valence and arousal were measured using a 9-point Self-Assessment-Manikin scale (SAM; Lang, 1980; Suk, 2006). After completion of the first presentation block, an online survey was conducted.