Valence Mapping or Order Effects: Comparing Two Accounts of Spatial Influences on Judgments

Abstract

We noticed positional influences on ratings in a previous study: items were rated more positively when displayed at the top left of the screen (vs. elsewhere). We propose two possible explanations: valence mapping (items are rated more positively at the top and right) and order effects (items are rated more positively when seen first – the top and left for English readers). Nine total studies using behavioural items and items from the Moral Foundations Questionnaire are proposed to experimentally test and disentangle the two accounts; six were completed for this thesis. Results were inconsistent, possibly suggesting that neither account influences more complex evaluations. Implications and limitations of our findings are discussed.

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