Psychological responses to different types of locations and activities

According to reversal theory, entering places or buildings may induce parti cular psychological states. Study one tested this hypothesis by examining t he metamotivational states of subjects (n = 400) just after they entered tw o 'telic' and two 'paratelic' locations. Results from the telic state measu re indicated significant differences between the four groups on the serious -playful and planning-spontaneous items, indicators of operative metamotiva tional state. In Studies 2 and 3, participants (n = 65; n = 76) completed t he measure four times on two occasions in relation to 'telic' and 'parateli c' activity settings. The first completion took place after participants im agined their actual and ideal states for their respective activities and th e second, 4 weeks later, immediately pre- and post-performing their respect ive activities. Results from both studies indicated significant differences between the four presentations on serious-playful, planning-spontaneous, f elt arousal, and effort items, and in Study 3 only the preferred arousal it em. These results suggest that individuals are sensitive to the psychologic al states required in particular settings. (C) 1999 Academic Press.