Brainscapes Week 2
Brainscapes Week 2
Brainscapes Week 2
noticing the fleeting moments, romanticising the everyday
noticing the fleeting moments, romanticising the everyday
noticing the fleeting moments, romanticising the everyday
Micro Unit
Workshop Design
Workshop Design
Team & Duration
Team & Duration
Team & Duration
Dylan, Izzy, Sakshi, Sarthak, Stav
Dylan, Izzy, Sakshi, Sarthak, Stav
Dylan, Izzy, Sakshi, Sarthak, Stav
6th Mar - 13th Mar
6th Mar - 13th Mar
6th Mar - 13th Mar
THE brief
THE brief
THE brief
Design a way to make brain activity responding to aesthetic experiences visible, tangible, or interactive.
Design a way to make brain activity responding to aesthetic experiences visible, tangible, or interactive.
Design a way to make brain activity responding to aesthetic experiences visible, tangible, or interactive.
At the start of this week, we focused on exploring how recreating an experience—and observing how people engage with it, either alone or in a group—might affect brain activity (Nishimoto et al., 2011). Thinking as designers, we were especially interested in emotional data points and immersive responses, so we paid close attention to the first few moments of interaction.
Physiological signs like silence, repeated engagement, or coming back to the experience often point to deeper connection (Timmons & Margolin, 2015).
We hence discussed ways to ask open-ended questions and observing things like body language, eye movement, and overall energy. Using these qualitative data we started to find ways to think about how the experience could become more interactive.
To better understand how different actions or physiological signs could potentially help us map brain activity, we thought of how we could study the before & after of an experience in terms of the physiological parameters.
At the start of this week, we focused on exploring how recreating an experience—and observing how people engage with it, either alone or in a group—might affect brain activity (Nishimoto et al., 2011). Thinking as designers, we were especially interested in emotional data points and immersive responses, so we paid close attention to the first few moments of interaction.
Physiological signs like silence, repeated engagement, or coming back to the experience often point to deeper connection (Timmons & Margolin, 2015).
We hence discussed ways to ask open-ended questions and observing things like body language, eye movement, and overall energy. Using these qualitative data we started to find ways to think about how the experience could become more interactive.
To better understand how different actions or physiological signs could potentially help us map brain activity, we thought of how we could study the before & after of an experience in terms of the physiological parameters.
At the start of this week, we focused on exploring how recreating an experience—and observing how people engage with it, either alone or in a group—might affect brain activity (Nishimoto et al., 2011). Thinking as designers, we were especially interested in emotional data points and immersive responses, so we paid close attention to the first few moments of interaction.
Physiological signs like silence, repeated engagement, or coming back to the experience often point to deeper connection (Timmons & Margolin, 2015).
We hence discussed ways to ask open-ended questions and observing things like body language, eye movement, and overall energy. Using these qualitative data we started to find ways to think about how the experience could become more interactive.
To better understand how different actions or physiological signs could potentially help us map brain activity, we thought of how we could study the before & after of an experience in terms of the physiological parameters.
Physiological aspects connecting to brain activity that we could study before & after an aesthetic experience
Physiological aspects connecting to brain activity that we could study before & after an aesthetic experience
Physiological aspects connecting to brain activity that we could study before & after an aesthetic experience
Defining our aesthetic experience
Defining our aesthetic experience
Defining our aesthetic experience
We also continued to discuss the definition of aesthetic experiences, how it's subjective, & was very difficult to pinpoint (Leder, 2004).
In hindsight, I think we should not have been looking for a universal truth, but just chosen something that could be recreated for testing purposes and was interesting for all of us to research on. To continue this, we conducted a number of interviews.
We also continued to discuss the definition of aesthetic experiences, how it's subjective, & was very difficult to pinpoint (Leder, 2004).
In hindsight, I think we should not have been looking for a universal truth, but just chosen something that could be recreated for testing purposes and was interesting for all of us to research on. To continue this, we conducted a number of interviews.
Interview Questions
Interview Questions
Interview Questions
What people said
What people said
What people said
The results from our interview only highlighted how different everyone's experience has been because they were very specific personal anecdotes.
However, I think the questions heavily impacted this result.
Instead of looking for a common aspect among the different, subjective experiences, our questions emphasised the differences by asking childhood memories, or historical questions about the participants (Dunwoodie et al., 2023). To fix this, we could frame the questions like -
The results from our interview only highlighted how different everyone's experience has been because they were very specific personal anecdotes.
However, I think the questions heavily impacted this result.
Instead of looking for a common aspect among the different, subjective experiences, our questions emphasised the differences by asking childhood memories, or historical questions about the participants (Dunwoodie et al., 2023). To fix this, we could frame the questions like -
The results from our interview only highlighted how different everyone's experience has been because they were very specific personal anecdotes.
However, I think the questions heavily impacted this result.
Instead of looking for a common aspect among the different, subjective experiences, our questions emphasised the differences by asking childhood memories, or historical questions about the participants (Dunwoodie et al., 2023). To fix this, we could frame the questions like -
Potential Questions
Potential Questions
Potential Questions
In the end, we finalised ‘tube crush’ — the experience of stumbling upon a total stranger in the rush of the tube, and connecting with them - as our aesthetic experience.
To find out more about how people actually feel while experiencing this, we conducted a couple of interviews.
In the end, we finalised ‘tube crush’ — the experience of stumbling upon a total stranger in the rush of the tube, and connecting with them - as our aesthetic experience.
To find out more about how people actually feel while experiencing this, we conducted a couple of interviews.
In the end, we finalised ‘tube crush’ — the experience of stumbling upon a total stranger in the rush of the tube, and connecting with them - as our aesthetic experience.
To find out more about how people actually feel while experiencing this, we conducted a couple of interviews.
Interviews with people who had experienced 'tube crush'
Interviews with people who had experienced 'tube crush'
Interviews with people who had experienced 'tube crush'
A few quotes from the participants
A few quotes from the participants
A few quotes from the participants
Feedback & My thoughts
Feedback & My thoughts
Feedback & My thoughts
Avoid using convenient sampling.
Avoid using convenient sampling.
Avoid using convenient sampling.
The interactive component being music-based is a strong direction and was positively received.
The interactive component being music-based is a strong direction and was positively received.
The interactive component being music-based is a strong direction and was positively received.
Research should be conducted directly within the Tube environment, as doing it outside may not yield authentic insights.
Research should be conducted directly within the Tube environment, as doing it outside may not yield authentic insights.
Research should be conducted directly within the Tube environment, as doing it outside may not yield authentic insights.
The connection between sound and brain activity is compelling — we should consider conducting interviews that explore this link indirectly, without explicitly mentioning music.
The connection between sound and brain activity is compelling — we should consider conducting interviews that explore this link indirectly, without explicitly mentioning music.
The connection between sound and brain activity is compelling — we should consider conducting interviews that explore this link indirectly, without explicitly mentioning music.
Perhaps the messaging could improve - ‘tube crush’ might not be the aesthetic experience - it's about being on a mundane tube journey and being attracted to someone out of nowhere.
Perhaps the messaging could improve - ‘tube crush’ might not be the aesthetic experience - it's about being on a mundane tube journey and being attracted to someone out of nowhere.
Perhaps the messaging could improve - ‘tube crush’ might not be the aesthetic experience - it's about being on a mundane tube journey and being attracted to someone out of nowhere.
Relying solely on memory-based responses was questioned, as recollections can be inaccurate or biased.
Relying solely on memory-based responses was questioned, as recollections can be inaccurate or biased.
Relying solely on memory-based responses was questioned, as recollections can be inaccurate or biased.
Interview questions could explore how people romanticize the everyday—e.g., “Have you ever felt like you were in a movie?”
Interview questions could explore how people romanticize the everyday—e.g., “Have you ever felt like you were in a movie?”
Interview questions could explore how people romanticize the everyday—e.g., “Have you ever felt like you were in a movie?”
Consider that music can sometimes detract from an experience, and silence or ambient noise can enhance it.
Consider that music can sometimes detract from an experience, and silence or ambient noise can enhance it.
Consider that music can sometimes detract from an experience, and silence or ambient noise can enhance it.
References
References
References
Dunwoodie, K., Macaulay, L. & Newman, A. (2023) ‘Qualitative interviewing in the field of work and organisational psychology: Benefits, challenges and guidelines for researchers and reviewers’, Applied Psychology, 72(2), pp. 863–889. Available at: https://iaap-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/apps.12414
Leder, H., Belke, B., Oeberst, A. and Augustin, D. (2004) ‘A model of aesthetic appreciation and aesthetic judgments’, British Journal of Psychology, 95(4), pp. 489–508.
Nishimoto, S., Vu, A.T., Naselaris, T., Benjamini, Y., Yu, B. & Gallant, J.L. (2011) ‘Reconstructing visual experiences from brain activity evoked by natural movies’, Current Biology, 21(19), pp. 1641–1646. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3326357/
Timmons, A.C. & Margolin, G. (2015) ‘Physiological Linkage in Couples and its Implications for Individual and Interpersonal Functioning: A Literature Review’, Journal of Family Psychology, 29(5), pp. 720–731. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4593729/
Dunwoodie, K., Macaulay, L. & Newman, A. (2023) ‘Qualitative interviewing in the field of work and organisational psychology: Benefits, challenges and guidelines for researchers and reviewers’, Applied Psychology, 72(2), pp. 863–889. Available at: https://iaap-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/apps.12414
Leder, H., Belke, B., Oeberst, A. and Augustin, D. (2004) ‘A model of aesthetic appreciation and aesthetic judgments’, British Journal of Psychology, 95(4), pp. 489–508.
Nishimoto, S., Vu, A.T., Naselaris, T., Benjamini, Y., Yu, B. & Gallant, J.L. (2011) ‘Reconstructing visual experiences from brain activity evoked by natural movies’, Current Biology, 21(19), pp. 1641–1646. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3326357/
Timmons, A.C. & Margolin, G. (2015) ‘Physiological Linkage in Couples and its Implications for Individual and Interpersonal Functioning: A Literature Review’, Journal of Family Psychology, 29(5), pp. 720–731. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4593729/
Dunwoodie, K., Macaulay, L. & Newman, A. (2023) ‘Qualitative interviewing in the field of work and organisational psychology: Benefits, challenges and guidelines for researchers and reviewers’, Applied Psychology, 72(2), pp. 863–889. Available at: https://iaap-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/apps.12414
Leder, H., Belke, B., Oeberst, A. and Augustin, D. (2004) ‘A model of aesthetic appreciation and aesthetic judgments’, British Journal of Psychology, 95(4), pp. 489–508.
Nishimoto, S., Vu, A.T., Naselaris, T., Benjamini, Y., Yu, B. & Gallant, J.L. (2011) ‘Reconstructing visual experiences from brain activity evoked by natural movies’, Current Biology, 21(19), pp. 1641–1646. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3326357/
Timmons, A.C. & Margolin, G. (2015) ‘Physiological Linkage in Couples and its Implications for Individual and Interpersonal Functioning: A Literature Review’, Journal of Family Psychology, 29(5), pp. 720–731. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4593729/
Thank You For Reading.
Thank You For Reading.
Thank You For Reading.
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© 2025 | Designed and developed by me with ♡ | All Rights Reserved.