Date of Award

Spring 2014

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Computer and Information Technology

First Advisor

David Whittinghill

Committee Member 1

Raymond Hassan

Committee Member 2

Yingjie Chen

Abstract

Lighting color in animated films is usually chosen very carefully in order to portray a specific mood or emotion. Artists follow conventional techniques with color choices with the intention to create a greater emotional response in the viewer. This study examined the relationship between color variations in videos and emotional arousal as indicated by physiological response. Subjects wore a galvanic skin response (GSR) sensor and watched two different videos: one portraying love and one portraying sadness. The videos were watched multiple times, each with variations in the lighting color. No significant effects on emotion for either hue or saturation were observed from the GSR sensor data. It was concluded that the hue and saturation of lighting are not likely to cause a significant impact in the strength of emotions being portrayed in animated films to a degree in which it can be measured by electrodermal activity.

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