Researchers from the University of Turku in Finland have uncovered how looking at art influences both the body and emotions. Their findings were published in Cognition and Emotion.
The study gathered input from more than 1,000 participants across multiple countries and evaluated 300 artworks. While the images were viewed, researchers tracked eye movements and asked participants to describe the feelings each piece evoked, linking visual engagement with emotional response.
Although many studies explore frightening or troubling themes, the majority of emotions reported were positive. Portraits and human figures consistently drew the most attention, with viewers often sharing a sense of shared feeling. In short, people naturally empathize with the subjects on canvas, and this mirroring likely occurs during art viewing as well.
The researchers concluded that art can stimulate the brain’s reward and pleasure networks, which fosters positive mood. This suggests that exposure to art could support rehabilitation and therapeutic programs, helping people regain or enhance emotional well-being through visual experience.