The impact of wearing a heart rate monitoring wristband on museum visitors’ memory and emotions: a randomized controlled trial
Abstract Advances in technology have enabled museum curators to employ equipment that can measure visitors’ physiological responses, offering a means to monitor these responses, while, at the same time, potentially engaging visitors. However, it is unclear whether these devices genuinely promote a p...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SpringerOpen
2025-05-01
|
| Series: | Cognitive Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-025-00630-9 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850271860573339648 |
|---|---|
| author | Nicola Vasta Margherita Andrao Barbara Treccani Denis Isaia Claudio Mulatti |
| author_facet | Nicola Vasta Margherita Andrao Barbara Treccani Denis Isaia Claudio Mulatti |
| author_sort | Nicola Vasta |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Advances in technology have enabled museum curators to employ equipment that can measure visitors’ physiological responses, offering a means to monitor these responses, while, at the same time, potentially engaging visitors. However, it is unclear whether these devices genuinely promote a positive experience or, conversely, are perceived as intrusive monitoring tools. Following traditional theories linking physiological responses, emotions and memory, we tested whether wearing a heart rate monitoring wristband during a temporary art exhibition could affect visitors’ emotions and if emotional changes due to this manipulation could, in turn, affect the long-term memory of the artworks. Our findings show that using such a device heightened pleasant emotions experienced by visitors and improved their memory of the exhibit. These effects were still present even after six days from the visit. Moreover, we found that providing fake feedback concerning the emotions experienced in a specific room increased visitors’ memory of artworks within that room. Our results are encouraging regarding the use of these technologies in museum exhibitions and bring evidence that they can enhance visitors' experiences, regardless of their accuracy. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-becdd79e91ca4e58a50ec58098d0691b |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2365-7464 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cognitive Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-becdd79e91ca4e58a50ec58098d0691b2025-08-20T01:52:03ZengSpringerOpenCognitive Research2365-74642025-05-0110111510.1186/s41235-025-00630-9The impact of wearing a heart rate monitoring wristband on museum visitors’ memory and emotions: a randomized controlled trialNicola Vasta0Margherita Andrao1Barbara Treccani2Denis Isaia3Claudio Mulatti4Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of TrentoDepartment of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of TrentoDepartment of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of TrentoMuseo di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto (MART)Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of TrentoAbstract Advances in technology have enabled museum curators to employ equipment that can measure visitors’ physiological responses, offering a means to monitor these responses, while, at the same time, potentially engaging visitors. However, it is unclear whether these devices genuinely promote a positive experience or, conversely, are perceived as intrusive monitoring tools. Following traditional theories linking physiological responses, emotions and memory, we tested whether wearing a heart rate monitoring wristband during a temporary art exhibition could affect visitors’ emotions and if emotional changes due to this manipulation could, in turn, affect the long-term memory of the artworks. Our findings show that using such a device heightened pleasant emotions experienced by visitors and improved their memory of the exhibit. These effects were still present even after six days from the visit. Moreover, we found that providing fake feedback concerning the emotions experienced in a specific room increased visitors’ memory of artworks within that room. Our results are encouraging regarding the use of these technologies in museum exhibitions and bring evidence that they can enhance visitors' experiences, regardless of their accuracy.https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-025-00630-9Improved memory recallAesthetic emotionPhysiological measureMuseumArt exhibitionFake feedback |
| spellingShingle | Nicola Vasta Margherita Andrao Barbara Treccani Denis Isaia Claudio Mulatti The impact of wearing a heart rate monitoring wristband on museum visitors’ memory and emotions: a randomized controlled trial Cognitive Research Improved memory recall Aesthetic emotion Physiological measure Museum Art exhibition Fake feedback |
| title | The impact of wearing a heart rate monitoring wristband on museum visitors’ memory and emotions: a randomized controlled trial |
| title_full | The impact of wearing a heart rate monitoring wristband on museum visitors’ memory and emotions: a randomized controlled trial |
| title_fullStr | The impact of wearing a heart rate monitoring wristband on museum visitors’ memory and emotions: a randomized controlled trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | The impact of wearing a heart rate monitoring wristband on museum visitors’ memory and emotions: a randomized controlled trial |
| title_short | The impact of wearing a heart rate monitoring wristband on museum visitors’ memory and emotions: a randomized controlled trial |
| title_sort | impact of wearing a heart rate monitoring wristband on museum visitors memory and emotions a randomized controlled trial |
| topic | Improved memory recall Aesthetic emotion Physiological measure Museum Art exhibition Fake feedback |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-025-00630-9 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nicolavasta theimpactofwearingaheartratemonitoringwristbandonmuseumvisitorsmemoryandemotionsarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT margheritaandrao theimpactofwearingaheartratemonitoringwristbandonmuseumvisitorsmemoryandemotionsarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT barbaratreccani theimpactofwearingaheartratemonitoringwristbandonmuseumvisitorsmemoryandemotionsarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT denisisaia theimpactofwearingaheartratemonitoringwristbandonmuseumvisitorsmemoryandemotionsarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT claudiomulatti theimpactofwearingaheartratemonitoringwristbandonmuseumvisitorsmemoryandemotionsarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT nicolavasta impactofwearingaheartratemonitoringwristbandonmuseumvisitorsmemoryandemotionsarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT margheritaandrao impactofwearingaheartratemonitoringwristbandonmuseumvisitorsmemoryandemotionsarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT barbaratreccani impactofwearingaheartratemonitoringwristbandonmuseumvisitorsmemoryandemotionsarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT denisisaia impactofwearingaheartratemonitoringwristbandonmuseumvisitorsmemoryandemotionsarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT claudiomulatti impactofwearingaheartratemonitoringwristbandonmuseumvisitorsmemoryandemotionsarandomizedcontrolledtrial |