The shape of the pill: Perceived effects, evoked bodily sensations and emotions.

ABSTRACT: Current research examined the differential effects of pills' shape (angular vs. curvy) on the perceived efficacy of the medicine, evoked bodily sensations and emotions. We investigated these effects by using different types of angular vs. curved stimuli: abstract drawn shapes (Study 1), 3D-printed mockup pills (Study 2) and photographs of the existing pills (Study 3). Participants were asked to imagine 'taking' angular and curved pills. They had to focus on the bodily sensations and report the evoked activations/deactivations in different body parts. Across three studies, we found that the angular pills evoke overall more activations in the body compared to curvy pills. We further reported differences in the topography of angular vs. curved pills'-triggered sensations in different body par

SUBMITTER: Blazhenkova O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7478620 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature