University of Massachusetts Lowell

Department of Psychology

Research III: Laboratory

Debriefing for Class Experiments involving Emotion

Dr. Doreen Arcus

In the course of participating in today’s experiment, you have been exposed to some type of stimuli (videotapes, stories, or pictures, for example) that may have provoked some emotion. In general, we believe that the temporary emotional state that you may have experienced is harmless. If you watched sad cartoons, we expect that that temporary feeling of sadness will abate by the time you leave the experiment. If you read stories about which you had mixed feelings, we believe that these will not have any more lasting types of distress than a problem you might work on in a philosophy or values class.

However, we never know what personal issues or circumstances people may carry with them. If you, for example, have had the misfortune to have experiences a close personal loss recently, then perhaps our sad cartoons may trigger more intense emotions in you than we could reasonably foresee. If you find that any of the experimental conditions in which you participated today are upsetting to you, please feel free to contact the faculty member supervising these projects:

Dr. Doreen Arcus

Department of Psychology

978-934-4172

If you are troubled by emotions—fear, anxiety, depression, or sadness, for example—either because of some recent event or for no apparent reason at all, please remember that you are not alone. Trained professionals at the UMass Lowell Student Counseling Center are available to talk to you and to help. To contact them, call or drop by the Counseling Center. It is located on South Campus, and Dr. Noel Cartwright is the Director.

Counseling Center

McGauvran Hall

978-934-4331

Thank you for participating in our experiment. Please feel free to call if you need to.

DMA 09/02