Assessment of Neuroaesthetic Criteria to Select Hedonic Stimuli for Rehabilitation: A Preliminary Study | SpringerLink
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Assessment of Neuroaesthetic Criteria to Select Hedonic Stimuli for Rehabilitation: A Preliminary Study

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Extended Reality (XR Salento 2024)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 15029))

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Abstract

In recent years, research has increasingly explored the efficacy of art therapy for conditions such as stroke, uncovering benefits like the “Michelangelo effect”, which enhances motor performance in individuals exposed to aesthetically pleasing artwork during specific activities. While standardized stimuli are often used, their clinical effectiveness is questionable. Providing a positive experience with subjectively appreciated visual stimuli is crucial, as it enhances patient engagement and therapeutic outcomes. For this reason, our study aims to understand which paintings, starting from an existing dataset, are most appreciated and which characteristics make them more interesting for observers. We enrolled 59 healthy subjects who evaluated 60 abstract paintings based on pleasantness and element salience. Results highlighted preferences for warm colors, prominent elements, and a sense of movement influencing aesthetic appreciation. Possible hypotheses of these results are linked to the importance of spatial attention, depth perception and visuo-motor integration when viewing paintings. These findings informed the selection of stimulus sets for future motor neurorehabilitation protocols.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology and Biotechnology “L. Spallanzani”, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy

    Francesco Morciano & Fulvia Palesi

  2. Departement of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Hearth, Milan, Italy

    Marta Mondellini & Alessandro Antonietti

  3. Institute of Intelligent Industrial Technologies and Systems for Advanced Manufacturing, Lecco, Italy

    Marta Mondellini

  4. Department of Applied Science and Technology, Politechnichal University of Turin, Turin, Italy

    Giovanni D’Errico

  5. Department Engineering for Innovation, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy

    Carola Gatto, Giulia Pellegrino & Lucio Tommaso De Paolis

Authors
  1. Francesco Morciano
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  2. Marta Mondellini
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  3. Giovanni D’Errico
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  4. Carola Gatto
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  5. Giulia Pellegrino
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  6. Alessandro Antonietti
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  7. Fulvia Palesi
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  8. Lucio Tommaso De Paolis
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Francesco Morciano .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Salento, Lecce, Italy

    Lucio Tommaso De Paolis

  2. University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy

    Pasquale Arpaia

  3. CNR-STIIMA, Lecco, Italy

    Marco Sacco

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Morciano, F. et al. (2024). Assessment of Neuroaesthetic Criteria to Select Hedonic Stimuli for Rehabilitation: A Preliminary Study. In: De Paolis, L.T., Arpaia, P., Sacco, M. (eds) Extended Reality. XR Salento 2024. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 15029. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-71710-9_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-71710-9_2

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