What ARISA did in March!
Integrating the arts and sciences for real-world impact.
Hey folks!
Welcome to our second newsletter! We have a lot of wonderful updates for you from the month of March!
ARISA’s New Office Space
We opened up a new office in Baner, Pune! It's a space where everyone at ARISA can work and a space for us to host some of our future events and workshops! :)
The first of our events was an art-making session, which we held on March 24th. We invited all of you to visit us and celebrate Holi by painting the walls of our office with us! Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make our office beautiful! Below are a few photos from the same! Stay tuned to our socials for information about all future events!
IFA Grant Project on the Artistic Legacy of Pune
Dr Kohinoor Darda from the ARISA Foundation received a grant from the India Foundation of Arts to work on a research project in collaboration with the Zapurza Museum of Art and Culture. The project aims to trace Pune’s artistic legacy from 1720 when Pune rose as the capital of the Maratha empire under the rule of the Peshwas. We will use the lens of art history and empirical aesthetics to do so.
We plan on creating exhibits at Zapurza, publishing an extensive qualitative research paper, and using audio-visual documentation to create a short film regarding the same.
You can read more about the grant here! We’re looking forward to sharing this project with you!
Podcast: Native Narratives
Episode 3 - Science on Stage: Exploring AI in Theatre Part 1
We released the third episode of our podcast on the 31st of March!
You can watch it on YouTube or listen to it on Spotify!
In this episode, our guest is Niranjan Pednekar, a data scientist and a playwright who tries to incorporate AI in his creative process! We delve deep into integrating science with the art of theatre and how he got inspired to think of AI as an assistant director in his projects.
We want to start a conversation around these topics and opinions, and we invite you to participate too! Let us know what you think about this episode, and follow our socials for similar conversations around the arts and sciences! :)
Part 2 releases in a week so stay tuned!
Publications
A book chapter by Dr Kohinoor Darda and her former PhD supervisor, Richard Ramsey, is out as a preprint right now! This chapter is part of a book on Automatic Imitation edited by Oliver Genschow and Emiel Cracco. It is titled, The promise and pitfalls of studying the neurophysiological correlates of automatic imitation. You can check it out here!
This chapter delves into the topic of automatic imitation, a widely researched area of psychology. The process of imitation involves two primary mental functions: action representation, which pertains to how observed actions are perceived and stored, and action selection, which involves deciding which actions to imitate. Neuroscientific studies suggest that action representation involves a network of visual and motor regions in the brain. However, the neural correlates of action selection during imitation are less clear. While some propose that it involves controlling automatic imitative tendencies that are related to social interaction and theory of mind, this claim lacks substantial evidence. The chapter highlights the need for improved validity in psychological research and suggests that resources from the meta-science movement can help address this. The findings are expected to have broad applicability to various imitation tasks, including those that involve speech, gestures, and emotions.
Another preprint is out! ‘Delightful Duets: Motor synchrony and mutual gaze enhance dance enjoyment and perceptions of togetherness’ - a truly collaborative project with Kohinoor’s former postdoc supervisor Prof. Emily Cross and amazing co-authors including Louise Kirsch, Lina Munoz Perez, Stacey Humphries, and Ryssa Moffat. You can find the preprint here.
In this paper, across two experiments, we assessed how movement synchrony and gaze direction influence observers’ perceptions of dyads. As social beings, we are adept at coordinating bodily movements and gaze with others. When coordinating with another person, we often orient ourselves to face them, as mutual gaze provides valuable cues pertaining to attention and intentions. Moreover, motor synchrony and mutual gaze are associated with prosocial outcomes, yet the perceptual consequences of these forms of coordination remain poorly understood. Observers’ behavioural responses indicated that dyads are perceived as more socially connected and are more enjoyable to watch when moving synchronously and facing each other. Neuroimaging results showed modulation of the Action Observation and Theory of Mind networks by motor synchrony and mutual gaze, with more robust brain activity when evaluating social connectedness than aesthetic value (i.e., enjoyment). A fuller understanding of the consequences of motor synchrony and mutual gaze from the observer’s viewpoint holds important implications for social perception in terms of how observers intuit social relationships within dyads and the aesthetic value derived from watching individuals moving in these ways.
Our Team
We would like to introduce two new members of our team who joined us in March!
Shweta Bindu Allam (she/her), Research Intern
Shweta is a graduate of the National Institute of Design in India, where she earned her Bachelor's degree in Design. She currently serves as a communication designer with a specialisation in illustrations. Shweta's guiding principle in her work is to design with a purpose. Her portfolio includes projects dedicated to raising awareness about Himalayan species and artisan crafts in Andhra Pradesh. She also has experience collaborating with pharmaceutical companies and contributing to diverse patient experiences and journeys. This professional journey has sparked her fascination with psychology and the potential of blending design with psychological insights to bring about revolutionary solutions. Beyond her work, Shweta is an avid traveller who enjoys capturing memorable moments on her canvas. She's equally passionate about savouring momos, a delectable Tibetan dumpling dish. Her diverse interests extend to the realms of Urdu poetry and acting, reflecting her enthusiasm for various artistic mediums.
Madhura Deshmukh (she/her), Senior Program Coordinator
Madhura holds a BA in Economics from Fergusson College, Pune, and is currently in the last semester of an MA in Dance (Bharatanatyam). She is passionate about arts, languages, and culture and has been working at the intersection of arts and education for seven years now. She strongly believes that we need to take a multidisciplinary approach to the arts to facilitate access to them and create opportunities for artists. Madhura is also a trained classical dancer and has completed C2 in French.
When not working, she spends time enjoying films and music, travelling, and riding motorcycles.
Social Media Highlights
International Women's Day
Women break the barriers of what we think is possible in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) every day! Empowering women in STEAM isn't just about equality - it's about unlocking untapped potential, fostering diverse perspectives, and driving progress in fields that shape our future. Together, we're redefining possibilities and making waves in neuroscience, art, psychology, and beyond!
#FreePalestine
March 2024 is Women’s History Month, and we are currently witnessing violence against a particular group of women at an unprecedented level. The genocide of the people of Gaza needs to stop.
We all need to speak up. You, me, us, everyone.
Ceasefire NOW.
Livestream: What is Neuroaesthetics?
On March 24th, we held a live stream on Instagram, during which Kohinoor spoke about Neuroaesthetics and why it matters!
Blog: Aesthetic Alchemy
We released two blogs in March! Our blog aims to explore the intricate connections between art, beauty, and the human brain and mind.
Once Upon A Time
March 20th was World Storytelling Day! To commemorate it we decided to talk about the power that stories hold!
Isn't storytelling a bit magical? It can take us to worlds we’ve never seen, make us feel emotions we never thought we’d feel, and imagine things that go beyond the scope of this universe! A good story can completely absorb you, transporting you to another life entirely. Whether it's a captivating novel, an inspiring TED talk, a moving film, or even a bedtime story, storytelling has the powerful ability to capture our attention and touch our emotions.
Our ability to understand and empathize with characters, known as intersubjectivity, allows us to immerse ourselves in stories and fill in the unwritten gaps about their perspectives. In Everything Everywhere All at Once, when we see that Ke Huy Quan’s Waymond is trying to reach out to Michelle Yeoh’s Evelyn and work on their marriage, but he is constantly being sidelined because of how divided Evelyn’s attention is, we strongly empathize with him. While we don’t know ALL the details of their lives, we can, to a certain extent, imagine what they must have gone through and what they must be feeling at that point.
You can read the full blog on our website!
Skin Deep
Beauty holds a lot of power in our world. Its aesthetic appeal captivates us, draws us in, and often leaves us in awe. But do we carry a bias towards beauty?
What is it about beauty that compels us to equate it with goodness? Our brains have a stereotype that associates beauty with goodness. This stereotype is deeply embedded within the orbitofrontal cortex, and it triggers neural activity in response to both beauty and goodness. Interestingly, this association occurs automatically, even when people are not consciously thinking about beauty or goodness. This trigger for the association between beauty and goodness may be responsible for the many social effects of this perception.
You can read the full blog on our website!
Research
We have moved on to the next stage of our neuroaesthetics research with the Zapurza Museum of Art & Culture. People all across India can participate in this stage by filling out an online form! If you are interested in doing so, please read the following before you fill out the form!
Tick all consent forms as you proceed.
Do not discuss your answers with anyone.
Your answers and your personal information will be kept anonymous.
Make sure to fill in your email so that we can send you a 40% discount coupon for your Zapurza visit.✨✨
Here is the link to the form! :)
Thank you for supporting ARISA Foundation! We are a not-for-profit research and social work organisation that bridges the arts and sciences to advance academic research in psychology, neuroscience, and neuroaesthetics, preserve tangible and intangible cultural heritage, and promote social change.
With a focus on interdisciplinary approaches, science communication, and community engagement, we aim to make the sciences and arts open, equitable, and accessible to all.
Contact us (info@arisafoundation.org) if you want to know more about our work, or collaborate, work, or volunteer with us!