The DIsgust-RelaTed-Images (DIRTI) Database: Validation of a novel standardized set of disgust pictures

Selecting appropriate stimuli is a major challenge of affective research. Although several standardized databases for affective pictures exist, none of them focus on discrete emotions such as disgust. Validated pictures inducing discrete emotions are still limited, and this presents a problem for researchers interested in studying different facets of disgust. In this paper, we introduce the DIsgust-RelaTed-Images (DIRTI) picture set. The set consists of 240 disgust-inducing pictures divided into six categories (food, animals, body products, injuries/infections, death, and hygiene). Additionally, we included 60 matched neutral pictures (10 per category). All pictures were rated by 200 participants on nine-point rating scales measuring disgust, fear, valence, and arousal. The present validation study covered a wide age range (18–75 years) with a balanced number of participants in each decade of life. For each picture, we provide separate ratings on the four scales for men and women. In addition to the original pictures, we also provide a luminance-matched version for experiments that require control of the physical properties of the pictures. The standardized DIRTI picture set allows researchers to chose from a wide set of disgust-inducing pictures and may enhance researchers’ ability to draw comparisons between studies on disgust. (Download DIRTI picture set: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.167037).

Picture sets and supplementary material relative to the following publication:

Haberkamp, A., Glombiewski, J. A., Schmidt, F., & Barke, A. (submitted). The DIsgust-RelaTed-Images (DIRTI) Database: Validation of a novel standardized set of disgust pictures. Behaviour Research and Therapy.

The three files contain the following content.

DIRTI Database.zip → original picture set

DIRTI luminance matched images.zip → luminance-matched version of the picture set

DIRTI Supplementary Material.zip → excel file containing separate worksheets for all ratings (disgust, valence, arousal, fear), for the physical properties of the original and luminance-matched disgust pictures, and for a luminance-matched subset of the original disgust pictures