Research finds that unsettling art is most enjoyable
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Researchers from i2 media – based within Psychology at Goldsmiths – conducted a study at immersive art experience FRAMELESS, which revealed that the most emotionally intense artwork was also the most enjoyable.
The Scream by Edvard Munch at FRAMELESS, credit: Antonio Pagano
The i2 media researchers fitted visitors to London's largest immersive art experience with heart, skin and eye-tracking sensors, and measured their responses to five artworks in the Beyond Reality Gallery at FRAMELESS in Marble Arch.
The artworks included: The Scream by Edvard Munch, The Dawn of Venus by Thomas Lowinsky, The Cyclops by Odilon Redon, The Fireside Angel by Max Ernst, and The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch. 16 participants aged 19 to 84, 94% of whom were first-time visitors, experienced all five artworks across the 22-minute experience. Physiological changes were measured against each participant’s own baseline, and participants also rated the artworks for emotional intensity.
The Scream scares us – but we like it
Suspense, tension and unease were reported more often during The Scream than any other artwork, alongside the biggest average rise in skin conductance (a measure of tiny electrical changes in the skin linked to physiological arousal) at +18% above baseline, and the biggest drop in blinking (15% below baseline). Previous research has linked reduced blinking with heightened attention. The Scream also scored most highly for emotional intensity, rated 3.5/5 on average. And yet, perhaps surprisingly, when participants were asked to rank the five artworks by enjoyment, The Scream came out on top.
Professor Jonathan Freeman, Managing Director of i2 media Research and Professor of Psychology at Goldsmiths, University of London, explained: "It's tempting to assume people visit galleries to feel more calm or uplifted, but this study points to something more interesting."
The Scream was the artwork participants found most unsettling, and also the one they enjoyed most. It’s a pattern familiar from horror films and rollercoasters that we've seen repeatedly through over 25 years of research on audience and visitor experience: a bit of tension, experienced somewhere safe, can be part of the pleasure.
Jonathan Freeman, Professor of Psychology
Thomas Lowinsky’s The Dawn of Venus and Hieronymus Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights were rated significantly less intense (both 2.4 out of 5). Participants reported joy, delight and calm more often during these two works. Their heart rate variability, which tends to be higher in more relaxed states, rose by an average of 16% and 18% respectively when experiencing these pieces.
Ryan Atwood, Creative Director at FRAMELESS, said: "These results provide an intriguing insight into the integral relationship between art and emotion. Each of the five artworks evoked varying emotions amongst the participants, yet what is most fascinating is that an artwork does not necessarily need to be soothing or conventionally beautiful to leave a powerful impression. Some of the most memorable moments in a gallery are the ones that make you feel a little uneasy.
"Aptly named, The Scream sits at the intersection of tension and enjoyment, and is the perfect example of how an artwork can be unsettling yet utterly compelling. What we find really exciting is the range: in one room, people move from tension to calm to wonder in a matter of minutes."
i2 media research was founded in 2002 by Professor Jonathan Freeman from the School of Mind, Body and Society as a spin-off from his lab at Goldsmiths. Since then, it has explored how people and technology interact, while examining how emerging technologies may shape the way we live in the future.