Emotion research forum

Panel Statement

Without doubt emotions are evolving as they are influenced by culture, context and behaviour. Davic Matsumoto (2007) elucidates these three influences on human emotion. Western and Eastern societies have witnessed change with the use of new technologies. Will our ability to read emotional expressions slowly change with the new communication systems? Might people soon no longer be able to read facial expressions? With the loss of the ability to read an emotion might come too the loss of the experience itself? Steven Pinker (2002, p.40) stresses that emotions and behaviour always represent an Internal struggle’. It is not merely culture and society that directs human behaviour, but the mind has an innate system that generates endless possibilities to choose from.

Emotions and feelings have been studied by some important researchers in the field, including Darwin Damasio, LeDoux, and Ekman. The discussion can now be expanded to include emotion research and emotional responses in Artificial Intelligence, Artificial Life, gaming industries, virtual environment studies and augmented reality systems. This research forum brings together leading artists and researchers ir the field of emotion studies. Researchers/artists and curators will debate artworks that primarily address emotions in humans.