Impact of soothing videos on the generation and content of prospective mental imagery

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in prospective mental imagery (PMI) and its effects on individuals. Research indicates that positive PMI cannot only improve but also stabilise the mood of those suffering from depression and other mental health conditions. It has been established that those who suffer from mood and anxiety disorders have difficulty producing a positive PMI and have a higher tendency to produce a negative PMI. However, few studies have explored the content of PMI and alternatives (non-clinical methods) to access positive PMI. As an expansion of Project Soothe's findings and recent literature connecting nature and mental imagery, this thesis explores the effect of soothing videos on the generation and content of Prospective Mental Imagery. The first study (Chapter 4) was a systematic literature review that investigated the content, and appraisals of mental imagery of both past and future mental imagery across mood and anxiety disorders. The findings indicate that mental imagery content surrounds specific topics, such as interpersonal relationships, and crossing one’s boundaries. The appraisals are subjective and context specific. Chapter 5 (Study 2) explored the subjective experiences and themes of PMI content,and the subjective experiences of using nature videos to produce PMI scenarios. In the first part of the study, the study found that PMI content can be positive (as a motivational tool) and negative (providing a feeling of not being there yet). Furthermore, common PMI content themes are typically related to interpersonal interactions (including spending time with family and friends) and accomplishing milestones, both personally (e.g. having a family) and professionally (e.g. reaching the next level on the career ladder).

Regarding the second part of the study, participants reported that it was easier and more vivid to use a visual cue to produce PMI. As an extension of Chapter 5, Chapter 6 (Study 3) explored the connection between episodic memory and PMI content. Chapter 6’sstudy concluded that there was no statistically significant relationship between the affective descriptions of PMI and EM. Furthermore, the study concluded that there were no statistically significant differences between the soothing categories and perceived level of soothe experienced by participants. Chapter 7 (Study 4) explored the effect of soothing videos displayed on different platforms (VR or Desktop) on the generation of PMI. Overall, the results demonstrated a higher PMI vividness when stimuli (both non-soothe and soothe) were presented via a desktop. In addition to, no statistically significant differences were found between the percentages of positive words when comparing the conditions or platforms. Furthermore, the results show that it was easier to produce non-cued PMI in VR, meanwhile, it was easier to produce visual cued PMI in desktop.

These pilot findings suggest that VR has the potential to assist in the production of non-cued PMI and contribute to our overall understanding of PMI content and its affective effect.