Obtaining and analyzing affective response profiles in a planetarium environment: an exploratory study

A portable electronic feedback system designed and assembled by the author has been coupled with questionnaire and group interview techniques to yield meaningful and statistically reliable data on individual and group affective reactions to audio and visual stimuli in planetarium programs. The system functions with a high degree of dependability and interfaces with the planetarium with no sacrifice to normal operations. Analysis of data suggests that visual stimuli frequently appear to dominate affectIve response while motion, the kind of imagery used and the perceived environmental nature of that imagery are significant variables relative to the degree of audience affective reactions registered. It is further suggested that age relates to overall response patterns in terms of activity and tendency to register negative affective reactions. Pearson r correlation coefficients for net summative affective responses based on random ^split halves (for 170 events) yield values of r> 0.91 (significance = 0.001) for sample sizes as small as 75 cases. Graphical portrayal of the data indicates a high degree of stability of response patterns across time and samples supporting the validity of the conclusions. Lastly, the interfacing of the feedback system with an in-house -computer for purposes of further analysis and fast turnaround optimization of progtamming is suggested and outlined

The Current Role of Planetariums in Astronomy Education

For decades, planetariums have been created to serve the cause of astronomical enlightenment – to offer people knowledge and understanding and a sense of place in a universe far bigger than themselves. It is an important role and one that we in planetariums continue to play – changing, we hope, as times, technology, educational philosophies, and our view of the universe change