Blending the Subjective and Objective Realms of Sacred Architecture at the Pantheon: Creating a Comparative Framework for Evaluating Transformative Experiences in Ritual Contexts

This paper seeks to create a comparative framework for evaluating transformative experiences for different types of ritual contexts found in sacred architecture by bridging the gap between the phenomenology of human experience and architecture’s built conditions. The methodology creates a framework for statistical analysis, whereby evidence of people’s actual (i.e., real, lived) “subjective” experiences can be evaluated against the “objective” architectural conditions. The comparative framework is put to the test by comparing the experiential and environmental conditions found at the Pantheon in Rome. Experiential data for the Pantheon is extracted from Julio Bermudez’s large survey database (N = 2872) of “extraordinary architectural experiences” for this study. This data is compared against “objective” graphical architecture analysis using Lindsay Jones’ “morphology of ritual-architectural priorities” with a specific focus on ritual contexts. The quantitative and qualitative data reveals that the Pantheon produces transformative experiences for visitors that are related to the expected outcomes of specific design features. The percentages from the “objective” and “subjective” analysis both rank the priorities of theatre, contemplation, and sanctuary in the same order. This study concludes that built environments possessing a higher presence and quality of “ritual-architectural priorities” are more likely to be perceived as sacred and produce transformative experiences.

Being in a crowd bonds people via physiological synchrony

Collective events can generate intense emotions, shape group identities, and forge strong bonds. Do these effects extend to remote participation, and what are the psychological mechanisms underpinning their social power? We monitored psycho-physiological activity among groups of basketball fans who either attended games in-person (in a stadium) or watched games live on television in small groups. In-person attendance was associated with greater synchronicity in autonomic nervous system activation at the group level, which resulted in more transformative experiences and contributed to stronger identity fusion. Our findings suggest that the social effects of sports depend substantially on the inter-personal dynamics unfolding among fans, rather than being prompted simply by watching the game itself. Given the increasing prevalence of virtual experiences, this has potentially wide-reaching implications for many domains of collective human interaction.

Field-Based Art Programming As a Facilitator for Transformative Learning Experiences in Tertiary Education: Participants Reflections on Land Arts of the American West

Field-based art programming proposes a different pedagogical model to respond to contemporary challenges that artists face, ranging from ecological crises to the education and development of artists. This article analyzed interviews with field-based art programming participants across two decades, focusing on artists’ experiences through their own voices. Out of the interviews with participants from Land Arts of the American West, in which participants travel, camp, and create at different sites throughout the Southwest, the participants narrate important elements of field-based art programming. Using Mezirow’s theory of Transformative Learning, this article uses participants’ descriptions to analyze the pedagogical aspects of field-based art learning that denotes a transformative experience, distinct from what is available to them in conventional tertiary art classes. Central reoccurring themes identified include immersive nature, art-making, community, and place. Participants’ responses reveal Disorienting Dilemmas and having transformative experiences.

Science, Poetics, and Immersive Field Ecology

Complex global challenges and declining scientific literacy demand novel approaches to engaging students with science and the natural world. While evidence supports integrating creative and scientific modes of inquiry, these approaches are often separated in undergraduate education. We designed Ecology Through the Writer’s Lens (ETWL) to allow students to explore an ecosystem of critical importance, the tall grass prairie, through an interdisciplinary field experience. Co-taught by Biology and English professors and open to students of all majors, ETWL leverages classroom activities to prepare for and process the immersive field experience over the course of one semester. Field-based exercises include natural history observations, hypothesis building, experimental design, analysis of the literature, and creative/reflective writing. Learning was assessed through multiple assignments, including a final creative project that spanned diverse writing genres. Students met and exceeded expectations with respect to course objectives. Non-science majors learned how scientific knowledge is generated; science majors learned how creative approaches can open new pathways for exploration. Many students overcame fear of natural spaces. Several students independently engaged with tall grass prairie in post-course activities. We conclude that interdisciplinary approaches to field-based inquiry can generate transformative experiences, even when the immersive component is short-term and close to home. ETWL provides one model by which different modes of inquiry can be blended to enhance student appreciation of science, literature, and the environment.

Mixed Reality (MR) for Generation Z in Cultural Heritage Tourism Towards Metaverse

Generation Z is transforming tourism by demanding the cocreation of transformative experiences. Cultural heritage professionals must comprehend the needs and desires of the Gen Z to support the cocreation of transformative experiences. This study analysed the role of Mixed Reality (MR) from the perspective of Gen Z guests through 18 semi-structured interviews and inductive qualitative research. Participants believe that cultural heritage experiences can benefit from immersive technology. Technology supports cocreation of experiences between developers, service providers, DMOs, and consumers. Cultural heritage sites, as a key element of tourism destinations, should consider how to use MR to enhance consumer experiences. Participants express the opinion that cultural heritage sites and tourism destinations require considerable modernisation to create transformative experiences. Metaverse in tourism and cultural heritage sites will undoubtedly support Gen Z to cocreate transformational experiences.

Thanks for the Memories: The Athenian Agora as a Lieu de Mémoire

<p>The relationship between memory and place can often be expressed through association. When one thinks of the birthplace of democracy, it does not tax the imagination for Athens and the Athenian Agora to spring to mind. The fact that the connection between the agora and democracy is so embedded in the collective consciousness even today is no coincidence. Rather, it is evidence of a naturally occurring space at the foot of the Athenian Akropolis undergoing several millennia of transformative experiences, shaping and being shaped by the identities of its inhabitants, in order to become the place now recognised as the Athenian Agora: the heart of Athens, the birthplace of democracy, and truly, a lieu de mémoire. A transformative process, which I argue, began at the end of 6th century Athens with the collapse of the Peisistratid tyranny and was only strengthened by the advent of oligarchy in the final decade of the 5th century.</p>

Thanks for the Memories: The Athenian Agora as a Lieu de Mémoire

<p>The relationship between memory and place can often be expressed through association. When one thinks of the birthplace of democracy, it does not tax the imagination for Athens and the Athenian Agora to spring to mind. The fact that the connection between the agora and democracy is so embedded in the collective consciousness even today is no coincidence. Rather, it is evidence of a naturally occurring space at the foot of the Athenian Akropolis undergoing several millennia of transformative experiences, shaping and being shaped by the identities of its inhabitants, in order to become the place now recognised as the Athenian Agora: the heart of Athens, the birthplace of democracy, and truly, a lieu de mémoire. A transformative process, which I argue, began at the end of 6th century Athens with the collapse of the Peisistratid tyranny and was only strengthened by the advent of oligarchy in the final decade of the 5th century.</p>

Virtually Transformative Experiences in Geriatric Education: Lessons Pre and Post Pandemic

Georgetown University medical students have the option of selecting a two-week rotation in Geriatrics during their third-year. Since Fall 2019, the curriculum has included three immersive virtual reality (VR) labs: hearing & vision loss, Alzheimer’s disease, and end-of-life conversations created by Embodied Labs. The curricular goals include increasing empathy and sensitivity of learners to the perspective of older adults, decreasing ageism & stereotyping, and increasing clinical knowledge. In each lab, students are immersed in a live film, first-person point of view of an older adult. They interact with the immersive environment via gaze, voice, and natural hand motions. Pre-pandemic, students viewed the labs in-person using a commercial VR headset. Since the pandemic, March 2020, students accessed the VR labs through the virtual modality of Zoom. This abstract summarizes data on knowledge and attitudes examining differences in knowledge and attitudes pre and post-pandemic.

What is left of the studio, in the absence of a room to share?

This article builds on previous work exploring the essential relational experiences of risk, rupture and change that are possible for students and teachers who learn in an open studio setting. In response to the isolation that accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic this article considers how the relational dynamics of the studio are translated into an online environment. The authors use artmaking to explore their experience of working alongside each other in this way, engaging their material knowing in an online learning environment. The findings reveal that just as the constructed physical space of an art studio is a dynamic container for social interaction and expression, an online space can act as a container for these transformative experiences. The article considers what elements of the studio remain in the absence of a room to share and in doing so is pertinent for art therapists and educators working across face-to-face and online environments.

Social Connections: Transformative Experiences Amid Disruptive Times

Today many older adults are experiencing intensified social isolation and loneliness as they attempt to “stay safe at home.” The notion, is a stark contrast from our understanding of the importance of social connections on health and well-being. This session highlights: first hand experiences caring for older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and the implications of social isolation on the health of older adults. The speaker will offer perspectives for ESPO members on the role of community engagement in orienting research agendas, both now (amid the pandemic) and into the future.