Verse and nerve, the hidden power of poetry on the human mind
Poetry has been woven into nearly every culture throughout history, but its impact on the brain and body remains unclear. In an intriguing study, “Wassiliwizky” et al. set out to uncover how poetry affects our emotions and brain activity.
This interesting study conducted experiments to explore the emotional effects of reading poetry by monitoring physical responses such as heart rate and skin reactions, key indicators of emotional arousal. They also measured chills and goosebumps using cameras and self-reports, zeroing in on these peak emotional moments to observe poetry’s impact. Additionally, they analysed facial muscle activity to determine if these emotional peaks were linked to feelings of joy or sadness. By comparing responses to familiar and unfamiliar poems, the study explored how personal connection influences emotional reactions and whether these responses change with repeated reading poetry.
The findings reveal that poetry can evoke powerful emotional reactions, like chills and goosebumps, which are intense, pleasurable experiences often connected to personal significance. These responses activate brain areas involved in body awareness and emotional processing, making these moments memorable.
Both poetry enthusiasts and those new to poetry experienced chills, highlighting poetry’s emotional power. The study also found that chills and goosebumps respond differently with repeated reading poetry. Elements of poetic structure, such as rhyme and meter, were found to trigger these reactions by creating anticipation and emotional climaxes, particularly at the ends of lines, stanzas, or entire poems.
Interestingly, poetry was also shown to evoke a blend of emotions, mixing pleasure with feelings like sadness, which can deepen the emotional impact. This emotional blend activates brain regions linked to reward and social understanding, showing that poetry engages the mind uniquely.
Overall, this research underscores poetry’s profound emotional effects and its unique ability to connect with us on a deep, often subconscious level, much like music and other art forms.
Reference:
Wassiliwizky, Eugen, et al. “The emotional power of poetry: Neural circuitry, psychophysiology and compositional principles.” Social cognitive and affective neuroscience 12.8 (2017): 1229-1240.
Photo by: Wassiliwizky et al; 2017
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