Motion, emotion and empathy in esthetic experience

The implications of the discovery of mirroring mechanisms and embodied simulation for empathetic responses to images in general, and to works of visual art in particular, have not yet been assessed. Here, we address this issue and we challenge the primacy of cognition in responses to art. We propose that a crucial element of esthetic response consists of the activation of embodied mechanisms encompassing the simulation of actions, emotions and corporeal sensation, and that these mechanisms are universal. This basic level of reaction to images is essential to understanding the effectiveness both of everyday images and of works of art. Historical, cultural and other contextual factors do not preclude the importance of considering the neural processes that arise in the empathetic understanding of visual artworks

Seeing a blush on the visible and invisible spectrum: a functional thermal infrared imaging study

So far blushing has been examined in the context of a negative rather than a positive reinforcement where visual displays of a blush were based on subjective measures. The current study used infrared imaging to measure thermal patterns of the face while with the use of a video camera quantified on the visible spectrum alterations in skin color related to a compliment. To elicit a blush a three-phase dialog was adopted ending or starting with a compliment on a female sample (N = 22). When the dialog ended with a compliment results showed a linear increase in temperature for the cheek, and forehead whereas for the peri-orbital region a linear decrease was observed. The compliment phase marked the highest temperature on the chin independent of whether or not the experiment started with a compliment contrary to other facial regions, which did not show a significant change when the experiment started with a compliment. Analyses on the visible spectrum showed that skin pigmentation was getting deep red in the compliment condition compared to the serious and social dialog conditions for both the forehead and the cheeks. No significant association was observed between temperature values and erythrocyte displays on the forehead and cheek. Heat is the physiological product of an arousing social scenario, however, preconceived notions about blushing propensity seem to drive erythrocyte displays and not necessarily conscious awareness of somatic sensations

Intervista a Vittorio Gallese

Questa intervista è stata realizzata dalla redazione di Ricerche di S/Confine in occasione di questo numero monografico della rivista, dedicato al tema dello specchio. Vittorio Gallese è professore di Fisiologia presso il Dipartimento di Neuroscienze dell’Università degli Studi di Parma, dove è anche coordinatore del programma di dottorato in Neuroscienze e direttore della Scuola di dottorato in Medicina. Neuroscienziato cognitivo, la sua ricerca si concentra sulla descrizione incarnata degli aspetti più rilevanti della cognizione sociale. Il suo principale contributo consiste nella scoperta, insieme ai suoi colleghi di Parma, dei neuroni specchio e nell'elaborazione di un modello teorico di cognizione sociale, la teoria della Simulazione Incarnata (Embodied Simulation ).. La sua attività scientifica è documentata da più di duecento pubblicazioni scientifiche su riviste internazionali peer-reviewed e volumi. Ha ricevuto il Grawemeyer Award for Psychology nel 2007, il premio Musatti nel 2014, la Laurea Honoris Causa dall’Università Cattolica di Lovanio nel 2010, e l’Arnold Pfeffer Prize for Neuropsychoanalysis nel 2010.The editors of Ricerche di S/Confine interviewed Vittorio Gallese on the occasion of this monographic issue of the journal, dedicated to the theme of the mirror. Vittorio Gallese, MD and trained neurologist, is Professor of Physiology at the Dept. of Neuroscience of the University of Parma where is Coordinator of the PhD Program in Neuroscience and Director of the Doctoral School of Medicine. Cognitive neuroscientist, his research focuses on an embodied account of social cognition. His major contribution is the discovery, together with his colleagues of Parma, of mirror neurons and the elaboration of a theoretical model of social cognition – Embodied Simulation Theory. His scientific activity is testified by more than 200 scientific publications in peerreviewed international scientific journals and edited books. He received the Grawemeyer Award for Psychology in 2007, the Musatti prize in 2014, the Doctor Honoris Causa from the Catholic University of Leuven in 2010, and the Arnold Pfeffer Prize for Neuropsychoanalysis in 2010

Touching moments: desire modulates the neural anticipation of active romantic caress

A romantic caress is a basic expression of affiliative behavior and a primary reinforcer. Given its inherent affective valence, its performance also would imply the prediction of reward values. For example, touching a person for whom one has strong passionate feelings likely is motivated by a strong desire for physical contact and associated with the anticipation of hedonic experiences. The present study aims at investigating how the anticipatory neural processes of active romantic caress are modulated by the intensity of the desire for affective contact as reflected by passionate feelings for the other. Functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning was performed in romantically involved partners using a paradigm that allowed to isolate the specific anticipatory representations of active romantic caress, compared with control caress, while testing for the relationship between neural activity and measures of feelings of passionate love for the other. The results demonstrated that right posterior insula activity in anticipation of romantic caress significantly co-varied with the intensity of desire for union with the other. This effect was independent of the sensory-affective properties of the performed touch, like its pleasantness. Furthermore, functional connectivity analysis showed that the same posterior insula cluster interacted with brain regions related to sensory-motor functions as well as to the processing and anticipation of reward. The findings provide insight on the neural substrate mediating between the desire for and the performance of romantic caress. In particular, we propose that anticipatory activity patterns in posterior insula may modulate subsequent sensory-affective processing of skin-to-skin contact

A non Cubic Equation of State for Describing the (p ro T) Properties of Pure Components and Their Mixtures

In this work we use a non cubic equation of state proposed by Brandani et al.1 to represent the volumetric properties of three pure fluids (carbon dioxide, n-pentane and toluene) at supercritical or near-critical temperatures and at pressures up to 70 MPa. The pT properties of two binary mixtures (carbon dioxide – n-pentane and carbon dioxide – toluene) are calculated in the same range of temperatures and pressures, using the mixing rules proposed by Brandani et al.1 The calculated densities are in good agreement with the literature experimental values, taking into account the wide range of temperatures and pressures at which experimental data were collected