Research on “awe” has often considered it as an emotion arising from stimuli so vast to require an accommodation of pre-existing knowledge structures (Keltner & Haidt, 2003). However, awe resulted as closer to an experience than to an emotion. Specifically, awe resulted as a transformative experience, able to affect even stable tendencies in life permanently. The purpose of this dissertation is to contribute to research on the nature of awe as a transformative experience and on its experimental study. I explored new methods to restore nuances, intensity and complexity of awe-experience even in the lab. I developed a set of three subsequent studies based on a new experiential methodology – Virtual Reality (VR) – opening to a new way of studying and designing awe in the lab. First, starting from a review of experimental literature on awe, I discussed in favour of a new methodology able to capture the intensity and complexity of awe as an experience, instead of only as an emotion. I identified Virtual Reality as the main candidate for many reasons. First, VR endowed the users with immersive, realistic, and interactive environments that can elicit a sense of “presence”, that is, the subjective experience of “being and acting there” in a simulated reality as if it was real. Second, VR allows to generate even paradoxical and impossible situations breaking our conventional fixed patterns of thinking, that is another key asset of awe. Third, VR can be used to fully track users’ behavioural and physiological responses, allowing for an integrated assessment of the emotional experience, both concurrent and retrospective. In study 1, drawing from these conclusions, I empirically explored the possibility to induce awe even through basic but highly realistic VR format, that is, 360°-videos. First, I designed two VR contents (1 awe-inducing and 1 neutral) displayed either on 360°-videos or on flat screens. Then, I exposed 42 participants to ad hoc awe-inducing (i.e., Forest) and neutral (i.e., hens scratching about the grass) contents displayed either on a 360° or flat screen to manipulate the sense of presence. I tested the impact of this manipulation on awe intensity. They self-reported their sense of presence and awe after each exposure. At the same time, their Skin Conductance, Blood Volume Pulse, sEMG levels were assessed while they were watching each video. Participants felt significantly more awe in the 360° awe-inspiring condition compared to others. The combination of 360° medium with awe-inspiring content resulted in a boost of awe. Moreover, psychophysiological measures of awe evidenced, for the first time, the parasympathetic system as a core component of the psychophysiological profile of this emotion. In study 2, I moved forward by testing a more advanced VR format, which includes the component of interactivity. The main advantage was that immersive-interactive Virtual Reality environments (VEs) could give rise to a variety of awe-experiences. Following guidelines provided by literature, I designed and validated one naturalistic neutral VR-environment and 3 ad hoc immersive-interactive VR-environments (VEs), to induce different instances of awe (i.e., Forest, High Snow Mountains, Earth view form the space). 36 participants were exposed to all VEs in a counterbalanced order. Participants reported their levels of awe, their general affect, and sense of presence after each exposure. Results showed that all environments elicited a similar positive affect and presence, but awe was differentially elicited by each environment, bringing forth diverse nuances of it. This research provided evidence-based design guidelines for future researches interested in the study of awe as an experience in the lab, as well as to scholars and practitioners willing to adopt validated VEs for creating awe-inspiring trainings. To date, I considered an interactive-immersive VR format. However, another key asset of VR relies also on the realism component (i.e., how a VE simulates the physics of the real world to minute details). Finally, since the experimental design was akin to Study 1, I could compare effect size of awe conveyed by 360° realistic video of Forest (Study 1) and immersive-interactive VEs of Forest (Study 2). I found that the most realistic form of VR (i.e., 360°-videos) could induce a slightly higher sense of awe, compared to VEs. This suggested that the realism component, as a layer of the sense of presence, could be crucial in manipulating and designing enhanced forms of awe in the lab. Hence, in Study 3, I relied on findings of Study 1 and 2 to test the impact of such intensified form of awe - induced by the most realistic form of VR - on creative-thinking cognitive process, which is usually considered as a relatively stable tendency instead of a contingent phenomenon. I hypothesized that the enhanced form of realistic VR-based awe would have impact on creative-thinking more than a neutral content displayed in VR. To test the link between awe as an experience and creativity, I used previously validated 360° awe-inspiring and neutral environments and I randomly assigned 40 participants to all these conditions in a counterbalanced order. Their levels of awe, presence and creative-thinking abilities (Torrance Test of Creative Thinking) were assessed after the exposure to each condition. Results showed not only that creative-thinking was significantly higher after awe-inducing 360°-videos compared to the neutral one, but especially that perceived awe significantly predicted 3 out 4 creativity dimensions, as demonstrated by a Generalized Linear Model statistical approach. We explained these findings in light of the framework of Diversifying experiences (DEs), i.e., peculiar experiences in life (e.g., multicultural experiences, psychopathology, schema-violation situations) considered as maximally creativity-conductive. Specifically, we considered awe as a potential member of the family of DEs. Overall, results of these studies provided evidence of the nuanced nature of awe and of the possibility to restore it as an experience even within the boundaries of a lab. Specifically, a new methodology for the design and the selection of best awe-inductors in the lab was validated. This methodology was applied both with immersive and interactive VR formats. Although awe displays a parasympathetic physiological response, it can arise even from interactive-activating inductors. I used VR to create several prototypical experiences of awe, which showed different profiles in terms of vastness and need for accommodation, to be deepened by future studies. Finally, the link between awe-experience and creativity emerged clearly, paving the way for new future awe-inspiring VR-based training to enhance creative thinking. To conclude, design and research guidelines were provided for further studies interested in pursuing and investigating awe as an experience and not only as an emotion.
La ricerca sul tema del Sublime ha spesso considerato questo fenomeno come un'emozione originata da stimoli talmente vasti da richiedere una modifica profonda dei nostri schemi concettuali (Keltner & Haidt, 2003). Tuttavia, il sublime risulterebbe più simile ad un'esperienza complessa piuttosto che ad un'emozione. Nel dettaglio, essa è emersa come un'esperienza trasformativa in grado di influenzare persino le tendenze più stabili in modo permanente. L'obiettivo di questa tesi è contribuire alla ricerca orientata a comprendere la natura del sublime, il suo potenziale trasformativo e la sua induzione sperimentale. Abbiamo esplorato nuovi metodi per restituire al sublime elicitato in laboratorio le sue sfumature, la sua originaria intensità e complessità. Abbiamo, inoltre, sviluppato una serie di tre studi basati su una metodologia esperienziale avanzata, la Realtà Virtuale (RV), aprendo la strada ad un nuovo modo di studiare e progettare esperienze di sublime nel laboratorio. In primo luogo, partendo da una revisione della letteratura sperimentale sul sublime, abbiamo argomentato in favore di una nuova metodologia in grado di cogliere l'intensità e la complessità del sublime come esperienza, superando la concezione di questo fenomeno come emozione. Abbiamo identificato la RV come principale candidato per diverse ragioni. Innanzitutto, la RV sarebbe in grado di fornire agli utenti la possibilità di navigare all'interno di ambienti immersivi, realistici e interattivi che possono elicitare un senso di “presenza” (i.e., la sensazione soggettiva di "essere e agire lì" all'interno di una realtà simulata come se fosse la realtà). Inoltre, la RV sarebbe in grado di generare eventi paradossali e situazioni altrimenti impossibili nella realtà, frammentando, così, i nostri schemi di pensiero abituali. Questo aspetto risulterebbe un asset cruciale per l'induzione del sublime. In terzo luogo, la RV potrebbe essere utilizzata per registrare il comportamento e le risposte fisiologiche degli utenti insieme ai report soggettivi retrospettivi, permettendo di realizzare una misurazione integrata dell'esperienza. Nello studio 1, alla luce di queste premesse, abbiamo esplorato sperimentalmente la possibilità di indurre il sublime anche attraverso un format basilare ma altamente realistico di RV, detto video 360°. Abbiamo progettato due contenuti emotivi (1 inducente il sublime e l'altro neutrale) i quali venivano mostrati su un display a 360° oppure su uno schermo piatto, per manipolarne il senso di presenza associato. Infine, abbiamo testato l'effetto di tale manipolazione sull'intensità del sublime derivante dall'esposizione a tali stimoli sia tramite un assessment psicofisiologico (Conduttanza cutanea, Blood Volume Pulse, sEMG) sia tramite misure retrospettive ad hoc. I partecipanti hanno percepito un livello di sublime significativamente superiore nella condizione 360° con contenuto sublime rispetto a tutte le altre condizioni. La combinazione del medium 360° e del contenuto ispirante il sublime è risultato in un boost di quest'ultimo. Inoltre, per la prima volta, le misure psicofisiologiche del sublime hanno dimostrato il ruolo cruciale del sistema parasimpatico per definire tale fenomeno. Nel secondo studio, ci siamo spinti oltre testando un format di RV più avanzato includente la componente di interattività. Il vantaggio principale è consistito dal fatto che gli ambienti immersivi e interattivi in VR (VEs) riproducessero istanze differenti di sublime. Seguendo le linee guida fornite dalla letteratura, abbiamo progettato e validato un ambiente neutrale naturalistico in RV e 3 ambienti interattivi ed immersivi (i.e., Foresta, Montagne innevate, Visione della terra dallo spazio) per indurre il sublime. 36 partecipanti sono stati esposti a tutti gli ambienti in RV seguendo un ordine controbilanciato. I partecipanti hanno riportato i propri livelli di sublime, affettività generale e senso di presenza dopo ogni esposizione. Tutti gli ambienti sono risultati in grado di elicitare i medesimi livelli di affettività positiva e presenza, tuttavia, differivano in relazione al tipo di sublime elicitato. Questo studio ha fornito le prime linee guida di progettazione basate sull'evidenza utili sia per future ricerche interessate a studiare il sublime come esperienza all'interno del laboratorio, sia per studiosi e professionisti che intendano utilizzare tali ambienti virtuali per creare training di induzione del sublime. Fino a questo punto è stato considerato solo un format RV immersivo ed interattivo. Tuttavia, abbiamo trascurato la componente di realismo tipica della RV (i.e., il livello di dettaglio in cui un VE sia in grado di simulare la fisica del mondo reale). Quindi, abbiamo confrontato i risultati dello studio 1 con quelli dello studio 2 in relazione all'induzione di sublime da parte dei due differenti formati di RV (i.e., realistico vs. immersivo/interattivo) utilizzando un confronto tra gli effect size, in quanto il disegno di ricerca era il medesimo. Abbiamo riscontrato un livello superiore di sublime indotto dal formato realistico del video 360° rispetto ai VEs immersivi. Questo suggerirebbe che la componente del realismo, in qualità di dimensione chiave del senso di presenza, sia un elemento chiave da manipolare per progettare forme più complesse e intense di sublime in laboratorio. Quindi, nel terzo studio, ci siamo basati sui risultati delle due ricerche precedenti allo scopo di testare l'impatto di una forma di sublime intensa, come quella indotta dai video 360°, sul pensiero creativo, il quale è di solito considerato come una tendenza relativamente stabile. Abbiamo ipotizzato che questa forma intensificata di sublime in RV sarebbe stata in grado di influenzare il pensiero creativo più di un contenuto neutrale mostrato attraverso il medesimo display. Per testare il legame tra il sublime come esperienza e la creatività, abbiamo impiegato video 360° precedentemente validati per indurre il sublime e un contenuto neutrale ed abbiamo assegnato 40 partecipanti in modo casuale a tutte queste condizioni che sono state controbilanciate. Dopo, abbiamo misurato livelli di sublime e le abilità di pensiero creativo (Torrance Test of Creative Thinking) di tutti i partecipanti. I risultati hanno mostrato non solo che il pensiero creativo era significativamente superiore nella condizione di induzione del sublime rispetto a quella neutrale. In particolare, il sublime percepito era predetto significativamente da 3 dimensioni di creatività su 4, come abbiamo dimostrato attraverso l'approccio del Modello Lineare Generalizzato. La spiegazione che abbiamo proposto per questi risultati è in linea con l'approccio teorico delle esperienze Diversificanti (DEs), esperienze peculiari di vita considerate in grado di promuovere elevati livelli di pensiero creativo. In particolare, abbiamo considerato il sublime come potenziale membro della famiglia delle DEs. In generale, i risultati di questi studi hanno provato la natura complessa e ricca di sfaccettature propria del sublime e hanno dimostrato la fattibilità di una sua induzione in laboratorio. Specificatamente, abbiamo dapprima validato una nuova procedura per la progettazione e la selezione degli stimoli migliori per l'induzione del sublime. Tale metodologia è stata poi applicata in laboratorio con un formato RV interattivo e immersivo. Abbiamo mostrato che nonostante il sublime mostri un'attivazione chiave del sistema parasimpatico, sarebbe in grado di scaturire anche da stimoli attivanti ed interattivi. Abbiamo utilizzato la RV per creare diverse esperienze prototipiche di sublime, le quali hanno mostrato differenti profili in termini di vastità e bisogno di accomodamento, degne di approfondimento. Infine, il legame tra l'esperienza del sublime e la creatività è emerso chiaramente, aprendo alla possibilità di un training orientato al sublime e basato sulla RV che sia in grado di potenziare anche il pensiero creativo. Concludendo, abbiamo fornito anche linee guida per la progettazione e per la ricerca orientata ll studio del sublime come esperienza e non solo come semplice emozione.
THE ROLE OF VIRTUAL REALITY IN THE STUDY OF AWE: AN ADVANCED METHODOLOGY
Chirico, Alice
2019
Abstract
Research on “awe” has often considered it as an emotion arising from stimuli so vast to require an accommodation of pre-existing knowledge structures (Keltner & Haidt, 2003). However, awe resulted as closer to an experience than to an emotion. Specifically, awe resulted as a transformative experience, able to affect even stable tendencies in life permanently. The purpose of this dissertation is to contribute to research on the nature of awe as a transformative experience and on its experimental study. I explored new methods to restore nuances, intensity and complexity of awe-experience even in the lab. I developed a set of three subsequent studies based on a new experiential methodology – Virtual Reality (VR) – opening to a new way of studying and designing awe in the lab. First, starting from a review of experimental literature on awe, I discussed in favour of a new methodology able to capture the intensity and complexity of awe as an experience, instead of only as an emotion. I identified Virtual Reality as the main candidate for many reasons. First, VR endowed the users with immersive, realistic, and interactive environments that can elicit a sense of “presence”, that is, the subjective experience of “being and acting there” in a simulated reality as if it was real. Second, VR allows to generate even paradoxical and impossible situations breaking our conventional fixed patterns of thinking, that is another key asset of awe. Third, VR can be used to fully track users’ behavioural and physiological responses, allowing for an integrated assessment of the emotional experience, both concurrent and retrospective. In study 1, drawing from these conclusions, I empirically explored the possibility to induce awe even through basic but highly realistic VR format, that is, 360°-videos. First, I designed two VR contents (1 awe-inducing and 1 neutral) displayed either on 360°-videos or on flat screens. Then, I exposed 42 participants to ad hoc awe-inducing (i.e., Forest) and neutral (i.e., hens scratching about the grass) contents displayed either on a 360° or flat screen to manipulate the sense of presence. I tested the impact of this manipulation on awe intensity. They self-reported their sense of presence and awe after each exposure. At the same time, their Skin Conductance, Blood Volume Pulse, sEMG levels were assessed while they were watching each video. Participants felt significantly more awe in the 360° awe-inspiring condition compared to others. The combination of 360° medium with awe-inspiring content resulted in a boost of awe. Moreover, psychophysiological measures of awe evidenced, for the first time, the parasympathetic system as a core component of the psychophysiological profile of this emotion. In study 2, I moved forward by testing a more advanced VR format, which includes the component of interactivity. The main advantage was that immersive-interactive Virtual Reality environments (VEs) could give rise to a variety of awe-experiences. Following guidelines provided by literature, I designed and validated one naturalistic neutral VR-environment and 3 ad hoc immersive-interactive VR-environments (VEs), to induce different instances of awe (i.e., Forest, High Snow Mountains, Earth view form the space). 36 participants were exposed to all VEs in a counterbalanced order. Participants reported their levels of awe, their general affect, and sense of presence after each exposure. Results showed that all environments elicited a similar positive affect and presence, but awe was differentially elicited by each environment, bringing forth diverse nuances of it. This research provided evidence-based design guidelines for future researches interested in the study of awe as an experience in the lab, as well as to scholars and practitioners willing to adopt validated VEs for creating awe-inspiring trainings. To date, I considered an interactive-immersive VR format. However, another key asset of VR relies also on the realism component (i.e., how a VE simulates the physics of the real world to minute details). Finally, since the experimental design was akin to Study 1, I could compare effect size of awe conveyed by 360° realistic video of Forest (Study 1) and immersive-interactive VEs of Forest (Study 2). I found that the most realistic form of VR (i.e., 360°-videos) could induce a slightly higher sense of awe, compared to VEs. This suggested that the realism component, as a layer of the sense of presence, could be crucial in manipulating and designing enhanced forms of awe in the lab. Hence, in Study 3, I relied on findings of Study 1 and 2 to test the impact of such intensified form of awe - induced by the most realistic form of VR - on creative-thinking cognitive process, which is usually considered as a relatively stable tendency instead of a contingent phenomenon. I hypothesized that the enhanced form of realistic VR-based awe would have impact on creative-thinking more than a neutral content displayed in VR. To test the link between awe as an experience and creativity, I used previously validated 360° awe-inspiring and neutral environments and I randomly assigned 40 participants to all these conditions in a counterbalanced order. Their levels of awe, presence and creative-thinking abilities (Torrance Test of Creative Thinking) were assessed after the exposure to each condition. Results showed not only that creative-thinking was significantly higher after awe-inducing 360°-videos compared to the neutral one, but especially that perceived awe significantly predicted 3 out 4 creativity dimensions, as demonstrated by a Generalized Linear Model statistical approach. We explained these findings in light of the framework of Diversifying experiences (DEs), i.e., peculiar experiences in life (e.g., multicultural experiences, psychopathology, schema-violation situations) considered as maximally creativity-conductive. Specifically, we considered awe as a potential member of the family of DEs. Overall, results of these studies provided evidence of the nuanced nature of awe and of the possibility to restore it as an experience even within the boundaries of a lab. Specifically, a new methodology for the design and the selection of best awe-inductors in the lab was validated. This methodology was applied both with immersive and interactive VR formats. Although awe displays a parasympathetic physiological response, it can arise even from interactive-activating inductors. I used VR to create several prototypical experiences of awe, which showed different profiles in terms of vastness and need for accommodation, to be deepened by future studies. Finally, the link between awe-experience and creativity emerged clearly, paving the way for new future awe-inspiring VR-based training to enhance creative thinking. To conclude, design and research guidelines were provided for further studies interested in pursuing and investigating awe as an experience and not only as an emotion.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14242/159241
URN:NBN:IT:UNICATT-159241