Abstract: How can we understand the internal emotional processes taking place in extended reality (XR)? Everybody knows what emotion is, but when we try to define emotion, it becomes obvious that this is quite a complex concept. Emotion refers to an experience and is therefore hard to explain by a single component. This is reflected in how we describe emotional experiences in different languages, where words such as emotions, affect, mood and feelings are used interchangeably. A focused definition encompassing the most agreed upon components across the different paradigms within emotion research from cognitive psychology and neuroscience can therefore be useful. In this talk, we present different research approaches to understand emotions, such as the constructivist approach and the evolutionary approach. The talk will also provide a comprehensive overview of current knowledge on emotion in extended reality environments from the perspective of learning, individual differences, and contextual factors. Amongst the themes covered are multisensory processing of information in extended reality and its challenges for known biological and psychological limits of aware learning of emotions, and new research methods that are helping better understand the interplay between physiological responses and environmental stimuli in extended reality environments. Our discussion also includes a consideration of gender and cross-cultural aspects, since these are fundamental to unpack a variety of ethical concerns emerging from the manipulation of user emotions through extended reality technologies.
Biographies:
Ana Luisa Sanchez Laws: My research focuses on questions of identity-(ies) and belonging. I am interested in understanding the historical, cultural, social and psychological boundaries of the self (as individuals or collectives). One strand of my research focuses on the use of new technologies to address contested topics in museums and issues of identity, diversity and social inclusion (see Panamanian Museums and Historical Memory, Berghahn Books 2011). This research deals with the creation of digital artifacts to communicate cultural and natural heritage, with projects involving institutions such as the Panama Viejo Museum and Questacon Science Centre (see Museum Websites and Social Media, Berghahn Books, Oxford and New York, first ed. 2015, second ed. 2019). This strand comes from my PhD at University of Bergen, Norway, where I studied the inclusion of diverse audiences in representations of identity and history in Panama. As part of this, I developed a digital game about Panamanian contemporary history, which was installed at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Panama, and at the Museum of Art and Design, Costa Rica. A second branch of my research concerns the role of new technologies such as virtual reality in topics related to peace and conflict transformation, body self-consciousness, and the relationship between self, presence, emotion and identity. I have developed theoretical and practical work for this topic within the area of immersive journalism, with the book Conceptualizing Immersive Journalism, Routledge, 2018 and in a series of research articles. My latest project is an edited collection on this topic for Routledge Insigths on Journalism Series (due 2022).
Kamilla Bergsnev: I do research on consumer behaviour in the Department of Market Research in Tromsø. Among other things, I look at how consumers’ feelings, attitudes and preferences influence choices and buying behaviour. I also research how multisensory perception can influence customers’ experiences in different contexts and surroundings (multisensory marketing). My background is in cognitive psychology and neuroscience. I have a master’s degree in psychology from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, with a thesis on taste perception from a psychological and neuroscientific perspective. I have a PhD degree in cognitive psychology from the University of Tromsø, where I conducted research on conscious and unconscious emotional learning. I have expertise in conducting research experiments using technologies such as Extended reality (XR), e.g. Virtual reality (VR). I also work with psychophysiological measurements (e.g. heart rate, muscle tension).