e-Nature positive emotions photography database e-NatPOEM: affectively rated nature images promoting positive emotions

Abstract

Affectively rated image databases have their main application in studies that require inducing distinct stimuli on subjects. Widespread databases are designed to cover a broad range of stimuli, from negative to positive valence, and relaxed to excited arousal. The availability of narrow domain databases, designed to cover and thoroughly analyze a few categories of images that induce a particular stimulus, is limited. We present a narrow domain affective database with positive images, named e-Nature Positive Emotions Photography Database e-NatPOEM, consisting of 433 high-quality images produced by professional and amateur photographers. A total of 739 participants evaluated them using a web-based tool to input valence-arousal values and a single word describing the evoked feeling. Ratings per image ranged from 36 to 108, median: 57; first/third quartiles: 56/59. 84% of the images presented valence > middle of the scale and arousal < middle of the scale. Words describing the images were classified into semantical groups, being predominant: Peace/tranquility 39% of all words, Beauty 23%, and Positive states 15%. e-NatPOEM is free and publicly available, it is a valid resource for affective research, and presents the potential for clinical use to assist positive emotions promotion.