Hardly anyone seriously suspects the work of fine art is that it can cause palpitations or, say, itchy skin. However, research published on the site of the American Psychological Association, say the opposite: scientists have concluded that the perception of works of art involving all body systems.

173 visits a Swiss museums have agreed to participate in experiment in which they were asked to put on display while watching a special glove, through which scanned four different physical indicator of the body. The researchers were able to find a connection between the impressions of visitors from the pictures and change three of the four measured parameters.

«Our study suggests that such a unique human abilities, as aesthetic appreciation and enjoyment of works of art cause changes in the physical parameters of functioning of the body "- said their findings in the scientific journal" Psychology of aesthetic perception, art and fine art »(" Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity and the Arts ") specialist from the University of Bern, Project Manager Shaher Wolfgang (Wolfgang Tschacher).

experiment conducted not in the cabinet, and in the "field" conditions - in this gallery of fine art - was the proof of the reality of the process that Shaher and his colleagues call "bodily perception of art." The participants (or more precisely - member since 65%of the test were women) conducted in the Museum of Fine Arts Swiss city of St Gallen on average 28 minutes viewing the collection stored in it works. Among them were paintings by such masters of the twentieth century painting, Claude Monet (Claude Monet), Edvard Munch (Edvard Munch), Andy Warhol (Andy Warhol) and Paul Klee (Paul Klee).

glove with built-in equipment, art lovers put on their right hand, and while they enjoyed the masterpieces, the equipment recorded the four parameters of their state of the body: heart rate, heart rate variability, skin conductance level and variability of the galvanic skin reflex. The conductivity of the skin - a phenomenon whose essence lies in the fact that human skin can be better or worse depending on the conductor of the external or internal stimuli that excite the body.

equipment also recorded the reaction of visitors for specific works. After this experiment, participants were asked to express their views on six studies: three, they looked at the longest, and the three pre-selected psychologists. Each of the subjects answered 19 questions on the questionnaire, which described the feelings caused by his work, as well as their artistic and critical opinion about the work. Comparing these data with a computer study of the physical reactions, the researchers concluded that the recorded variations of physical parameters considered "directly related to the aesthetic experience, caused by the works of art." For example, the pulse of the subjects speeded up when they beheld the product, later estimated by them as "strong" or "significant", as well as work on their own estimates, are ideally suited to the concept of exposure in terms of logic and coloring. Heart rate variability has changed, if the work was masterfully written, and contain elements of humor or an unexpected way. Variability of galvanic skin reflex was also related to the overall sense of emotional charge shall work. Scientists estimate that a work of art "in general, 25%changed the status of the subjects».

Shaher and his team just in case, specified that does not "feel like the perception of Art - this is purely neurophysiological process. " Their study, rather, in practice proves that the multi-faceted and complex intellectual and emotional act of perception of art affects the functioning of the body. Or, according to an influential neuroscientist Antonio Damasio (Antonio Damasio), first there is bodily reaction, and then our brain scans and decodes it in the form of emotions. Whatever it was, if you touch the art for the heart, then know that this is not just a metaphor.

Prepared Estrova Maria, AI

Source: artinvestment.ru