Study finds that people with higher levels of depressive symptoms are more susceptible to the emotional influence of negative surrounding images, perceiving even neutral content as more emotionally negative when it's paired with negative peripheral information. This effect was not mitigated by positive imagery, highlighting an asymmetry in how depression affects emotional processing. The findings underscore the importance of contextual cues in shaping emotional experiences in individuals with depression and point to potential strategies for therapeutic interventions that address these contextual sensitivities.

A new study conducted by researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem reveals how seemingly irrelevant visual cues—known as peripheral information—can significantly influence emotional responses, especially among individuals with depressive symptoms.

The study, led by Prof. Nilly Mor of the Seymour Fox School of Education and Department of Psychology, and Tamar Amishav, a doctoral researcher, examined how context shapes the emotional intensity of reactions to everyday images. The findings shed light on an underexplored mechanism that could help explain why people with depression often experience more intense negative emotions.

Contextual Triggers for Emotional Intensity
In a pair of experiments involving over 270 undergraduate participants, the researchers presented images designed to evoke emotional reactions. Each target image (neutral or negative in tone) was shown either alone or flanked by peripheral images with neutral, negative, or positive emotional content.

The results were striking: individuals reporting higher levels of depressive symptoms consistently rated neutral images as more emotionally negative when they were presented alongside negative peripheral pictures. This pattern did not hold when the peripheral images were positive or neutral.

“Our emotional experiences are rarely shaped by a single stimulus alone,” said Prof. Mor. “This research shows that people—especially those with depressive tendencies—may be more vulnerable to the emotional ‘spillover’ of surrounding negativity, even when it's not directly relevant to the situation at hand.”

Challenging Common Assumptions
Interestingly, the presence of positive peripheral images did not significantly soften emotional reactions to negative target images. Nor did depression levels moderate the influence of positive surroundings. This contradicts some common assumptions that introducing positive stimuli might offset negative emotional responses.

“These findings suggest that negative cues have a stronger influence on emotional interpretation than positive ones, especially in those with depressive symptoms,” noted Amishav. “This asymmetry may help explain why individuals with depression often perceive the world through a darker lens, even in neutral settings.”

Implications for Mental Health Interventions
The study not only highlights a novel emotional bias in depression but also opens potential pathways for interventions. For example, therapeutic techniques could be developed to help individuals recognize and regulate the impact of peripheral negativity in everyday life—be it from social media, advertising, or environmental stimuli.

“Recognizing the subtle power of context may help us build better tools to support emotional resilience,” said Prof. Mor.