Monday, July 25, 2011

Engaging haptic hormone?

The hormone oxytocin has been associated with a range of social functions such as trust, facial recognition, massage technique and lactating. In this 2008 study by Gordon,  Zagoory-Sharon, Leckman, and Feldman, summarized by Science Daily, it was also found to be associated with parenting styles that involved richer communication and engaging touch with infants in both fathers and mothers.

Clip art: Clker
The concept of "haptic visuality" was proposed by media/art critic Marks, that the eyes, in some multi-literacy, multimedia environments, such as haptic cinema, become very much "tactile-like," interpreting experience more as through the skin, potentially bypassing higher cognitive critical functioning and filters. What that means for development of haptic interfaces is that in a vivid multisensory "nexus" or event, the brain becomes much more holistic in interpreting what is in front of it, in effect interpreting the experience as a "felt" whole, not allowing critical analysis or deconstructing to enter into the process much. This is, of course, also the "Holy Grail" of advertising, movie makers and marketing.

A shot of oxytocin before your next haptic pronunciation lesson? Touching . . .

No comments:

Post a Comment