Sensory Perception and Emotion in Casa Batlló. Gaudi ( Barcelona )
Koncha Pinos, The Wellbeing Planet- COAC
The relationship between architecture and human emotions has gained significant attention in recent years, particularly regarding how built spaces can promote emotional well-being and introspection. Casa Batlló, designed by Antoni Gaudí, is a landmark of Catalan modernism celebrated for its organic forms, symbolic elements, and transformative use of light. This research explores how Casa Batlló impacts visitors’ emotional and sensory responses, offering a unique setting to study the interplay between contemplative architecture, emotion, and sensory perception. The project focuses on understanding how Gaudí’s integration of natural light, organic geometry, and symbolic design influences the emotional states of visitors. Through an innovative neuroesthetic methodology, the study evaluates changes in emotional profiles by analyzing vocal prosody—capturing the emotional tone and rhythm of the voice—and facial expressions before and after interaction with the space. This approach highlights the non-verbal and sensory dimensions of emotional transformation within architectural environments. This study will involve participants engaging in guided visits to Casa Batlló, both during the day and at night, to examine the role of light and symbolism in shaping their experiences. The findings aim to contribute to a deeper understanding of how architecture can evoke tranquility, introspection, and connection to one's surroundings, fostering emotional resilience and well-being. This initiative, led by The Wellbeing Planet in collaboration with the Col·legi d’Arquitectes de Catalunya (COAC), seeks to bridge the fields of architecture, neuroe
Integrating Technology and Tradition to Investigate Creativity in a Longitudinal Study of Balinese Performing Arts
Aime J. Aguilar-Herrera, IUCRC BRAIN, University of Houston
Maxine A. Pacheco-Ramírez, IUCRC BRAIN, University of Houston
Yoshua E. Lima-Carmona, IUCRC BRAIN, University of Houston
Elena Grassi, IUCRC BRAIN, University of Houston
Badie Khaleghian, Bowdoin College
Indra Sadguna, Indonesian Institute of the Arts Denpasar
Cokorda Bagus, Udayana University
Anthony Brandt, Shepherd School of Music, Rice University
Jose L. Contreras-Vidal, IUCRC BRAIN, University of Houston
Scientific studies on creativity and cognition have largely focused on Western artistic traditions. This research shifts the paradigm by examining the neurochemical and neuromodulatory effects of Balinese Gamelan music and dance, advancing a culturally inclusive model of brain research. Conducted over 4 weeks in Bali, we tracked the creative process from the first rehearsal to the final performance, providing a research framework and technology-driven insights to performers, artists, and researchers. Using mobile neurotechnology, we investigated real-time brain synchronization and changes in brain neurotransmitters, integrating electroencephalography, electrooculography, motion capture, neurochemistry, dance, music, brain-computer interfacing, visualization, and video recordings. We studied performer dyads—drummer-drummer, singer-drummer, and dancer-dancer— to examine how creative coordination evolves. Generative AI-based real-time visualizations, inspired by traditional Balinese elements, made interbrain neural synchrony visible for audiences. This study required team science, transdisciplinary collaboration, and continuous adaptation to a dynamic performance setting. Challenges included big data processing, ensuring instrumentation safety and participant comfort, synchronizing multiple data streams, as well as logistical and cultural concerns, including public perception. We developed strategies to address these barriers, creating a scalable model for real-world neuroscience research. By bridging AI, neuroengineering, humanities, and performing arts, this project offers a framework for studying creativity, social neuroscience, and artistic collaboration beyond the lab
Social connection and the experience of awe: findings from a massive choral concert in Lithuania
Rosalie Juviler, University of San Francisco
Sarah Purcell, University of San Francisco
Sanya Ansari, University of San Francisco
Fania Villareal, University of San Francisco
Ramune Dirvanskiene, Vilnius University
Ivana Konvalinka Danish Technical University
Indre Viskontas, University of San Francisco
In July 2024, the authors leveraged a unique opportunity—the 100th Anniversary of the UNESCO-recognized Lithuanian Festival of Song and Dance—to investigate the relationship between collective musical experiences, awe, and social connectedness. At the festival's culminating event, which featured over 12,000 singers performing as a single choir, we surveyed 1,002 adults (307 performers, 695 audience members) using the Situational Awe Scale and measures of social connectedness. Concert participants reported significantly stronger psychological and physical connections to others, as well as deeper engagement with the music, compared to viewers (p<.001). While the prevalence of frisson (goosebumps) did not differ significantly between groups (p=.172), we found a significant positive relationship between experiencing frisson and feelings of togetherness, with this effect being more pronounced among performers (R²=.116, p<.001). Notably, both groups reported unexpectedly high rates of frisson compared to laboratory studies. We also collected pre and post-event surveys and measured heart rate synchrony across 35 performers and 35 audience members. Our findings suggest that large-scale collective musical experiences can foster awe and social connection, offering potential implications for addressing contemporary challenges of social isolation and its associated health impacts.
Theatre Neuroscience: Investigating the effects of characterisation on an actor’s sense of self
Dwaynica A Greaves, University College London
Joachim Nicolodi, University of Cambridge
Anastasia Kokkinou, University College London
Antonia F de. C Hamilton, University of Cambridge
Over the course of my PhD, I investigated the self-other distance between actors and their characters, building my research on the hypothesis that occupations requiring physical and cognitive embodiment of another entity could influence one’s sense of self. To operationalise the concept of the self, we measured actors' responses to their own name, character's name, and a stranger's name during both acting and non-acting (control) tasks. The study involved 38 UK-based actors with 2+ years of acting experience. The methodologies we used were a combination of neural measures (portable functional near-infrared spectroscopy [fNIRS]), physiological measures (breathing rate), behavioural measures (computer-based questionnaires and tasks), and interviews (quantitative and qualitative analyses). In this presentation, I will focus on the neural data and interview responses, exploring what occurs in an actor’s brain (specifically the prefrontal cortex) when processing the 'self' or 'other' during and after a monologue performance. Additionally, I will share actors' insights on the concept of characterisation and their character-building processes. Our neural findings show that self-other processing regions have more activation in the acting condition compared to the non-acting conditions. Our interview findings reveal that the distance between an actor and their character can be adjusted, either intentionally or situationally, depending on factors such as the narrative, the character's morality, and the style of the performance.
Jeanne-Claude & Christo Art History & Change
Jonathan Fineberg, Rowan University
Jeanne-Claude & Christo Art History & Change