The funnier the film, the more the Moodmetric levels rose. Laughing evoked the same reaction in all people. Even so, Annika Eklöf was surprised how differently people reacted to different types of movies.
Annika Eklöf run a study at the Tampere Film Festival with Moodmetric smart rings. She measured the impact different movies had on the stress levels of individuals. Eklöf studies at the Humak University of Applied Sciences and is interested in digitalization and the impact of art on people. She is exploring new digital solutions for art and the entertainment industry.
The positive impact of art could be researched and shared more, says Annika Eklöf.
Eklöf wanted to study the impact watching movies has on the autonomous nervous system. What became obvious, once the measurements were completed, was that no single recommendation on a suitable movie genre for purposes of recovery can be given. People reacted to the same films in very different ways, so much so that half of the people watching had high and the other half low stress levels.
Our reaction to art is individual
– I started off assuming that I would find several things to which everyone would react in a similar way. In the end I could find only a few and surprisingly enough, those proved to be laughter and humour. The funnier the film, the higher everyone’s positive stress levels were, smiles Eklöf. Also, some distractions raised everyone’s Moodmetric levels, such as the volume suddenly jumping up too high.
According to Eklöf, most people might find an art film, where music plays a significant role, providing relaxation and recovery.
Eklöf also came across a film, which despite being slow in pace, still evoked strong emotions: – A documentary about climate change showed some very strong imagery, causing a reaction of guilt in the viewers. Everyone reacted in the same way, with highly elevated stress levels. Nobody remained undisturbed.
Moodmetric data is suitable for measuring the impact of art
Eklöf became familiar with the Moodmetric measurement method first by testing and training: – I discovered that the Moodmetric smart ring would be suitable for what I wanted to research at the film festival. Moodmetric data is informative and the measurement shows with great accuracy changes in mental load and recovery.
In the future it would be interesting to repeat the study with a feature movie where the plot and storyline are well known in advance. With Moodmetric measurement you can tap into people’s individual reactions to a film, or to some other art experience, in more detail.
Contact information
Annika Eklöf
www.annikaeklof.fi
Instagram: @annikaeklof.fi
The Tampere Film Festival is held annually in March. The study was conducted in 2020. Link to the festival program of 2020 and 2021.
