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March 2023
April 2023
4000+
Study Status
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Protocol Design
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Data Collection
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Data Analysis
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Manuscript(s) Preparation
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Publication
About
Protocol 005 (E4002)
Characterizing the neurophysiological and behavioral profile of aesthetic chills
With funding from the Tiny Blue Dot Foundation and Joy Ventures, The Institute for Advanced Consciousness Studies will be conducting a series of basic research studies aimed at 1) building a gradient of aesthethic chills and 2) evaluate the potential of chills stimuli as psychoplasthogens (as evidenced by signature of brain criticality) and empatheogens.
Extending on past results from online studies at the institute, E4-F02 will further validate chills in selected stimuli from within experience (via state-report), physiology (via peripheral measures), neural signatures (entropy measures via sparse EEG), psychological shifts (via self-reported awe, ego-dissolution and non-ordinary experience) and behavioral outcomes (prosocial behavior, moral decision-making, dispositional empathy).
This study will investigate what causes chills, what they mean for emotions and social behavior, and how technologies could be designed to boost positive reactions. We are interested in understanding a feeling called "chills" - when you get goosebumps or shivers down your spine in response to something positive or meaningful.
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About
Identify individualized pro-social chills-eliciting content
With funding from the Tiny Blue Dot Foundation, The Institute for Advanced Consciousness Studies will be conducting a series of basic research studies aimed at developing a multisensory intervention that approximates the subjective/neural states and deep changes in prosocial belief and behavior associated with entheogenic, non-ordinary experience. A key component of this eventual intervention is interoceptive stimulation, achieved via aesthetic “chills” known to increase prosocial inclination. As a first step, we must conduct a pilot study to assess the “chills”-evoking properties of a pre-selected set of video stimuli, in order to (I) isolate the most universally-chills evoking stimuli ; (II) determine trait characteristics that predict chills; and (III) examine the correlations between chills and self-report outcome measures of prosociality.
E4001
Posts
Outcomes
2024
- Christov-Moore, L., Schoeller, F., Lynch, C., Sacchet, M., & Reggente, N. (2024). Self-Transcendence Accompanies Aesthetic Chills. Self-Transcendence Accompanies Aesthetic Chills. [PDF]
- Schoeller, F., Christov-Moore, L., Lynch, C., Diot, T., & Nicco Reggente. (2024). Predicting individual differences in peak emotional response. Predicting individual differences in peak emotional response [PDF]
- Schoeller, F., Jain, A., Christov-Moore, L., Lynch, C., Diot, T., Reggente, N. (2024) Repeated Exposure Decreases Aesthetic Chills Likelihood but Increases Intensity. Repeated Exposure Decreases Aesthetic Chills Likelihood but Increases Intensity.
- Schoeller, F., Jain, A., Dumitrescu, A., Johnson, M., Maes, P., Reggente, N. (2024) Schema Surgery: AI-generated Peak Positive Emotional Stimuli Deactivate Maladaptive Schema. Schema Surgery: AI-generated Peak Positive Emotional Stimuli Deactivate Maladaptive Schema.
- Schoeller, F., Jain, A., Adrien, V., Maes, P., & Nicco Reggente. (2024). Aesthetic chills mitigate maladaptive cognition in depression. BMC Psychiatry, 24(1). Aesthetic chills mitigate maladaptive cognition in depression.[PDF]
Lulla, R., Christov-Moore, L., Vaccaro, A., Reggente, N., Iacoboni, M., & Kaplan, J. (2024). Empathy from Dissimilarity: Multivariate Pattern Analysis of Neural Activity During Observation of Somatosensory Experience. Imaging Neuroscience. Empathy from Dissimilarity: Multivariate Pattern Analysis of Neural Activity During Observation of Somatosensory Experience.[PDF]
Jain, A., Schoeller, F., Esfand, S., Duda, J., Null, K., Reggente, N., Pizzagalli, D. A., & Maes, P. (2024). Aesthetic chills modulate reward learning in Anhedonic depression. Journal of Affective Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2024.10.038
2023
- Schoeller, F., Christov-Moore, L., Lynch, C., & Nicco Reggente. (2023). ChillsDB 2.0: Individual Differences in Aesthetic Chills Among 2,900+ Southern California Participants. ChillsDB 2.0: Individual Differences in Aesthetic Chills Among 2,900+ Southern California Participants.
- Schoeller, F., Jain, A., Christov-Moore, L., & Reggente, N. (2023). Musical chills induce psychological insight. Retrieved from osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/m9ea5
- Jain, A., Schoeller, F., Horowitz, A. H., Yan, G., Hu, X., Salomon, R., Dr., & Maes, P. (2023) Aesthetic chills cause an emotional drift in valence and arousal. Front. Neurosci. Aesthetic chills cause an emotional drift in valence and arousal [PDF][Blog Writeup]
2024
- Schoeller, F., Zhang, B., Garcia, T., & Reggente, N. (2024). There is no such thing as interoception. There is no such thing as interoception.
- Adrien, V., Bosc, N., Galletto, C. P., Diot, T., Claverie, D., Reggente, N., Trousselard, M., Bui, E., Baubet, T., & Schoeller, F. (2024). Enhancing Agency in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Therapies through Sensorimotor technologies (Preprint). JMIR. Journal of Medical Internet Research/Journal of Medical Internet Research. Enhancing Agency in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Therapies through Sensorimotor technologies
- Schoeller, F., Jain, A., Pizzagalli, D. A., & Nicco Reggente. (2024). The Neurobiology of Aesthetic Chills: How Bodily Sensations Shape Emotional Experiences. The Neurobiology of Aesthetic Chills: How Bodily Sensations Shape Emotional Experiences. [PDF]
- Schoeller, F., Horowitz, A. H., Jain, A., Maes, P., Reggente, N., Christov-Moore, L., Pezzulo, G., Barca, L., Allen, M., Salomon, R., Miller, M., Di Lernia, D., Riva, G., Tsakiris, M., Chalah, M. A., Klein, A., Zhang, B., Garcia, T., Pollack, U., … Friston, K. (2024). Interoceptive Technologies for psychiatric interventions: From diagnosis to clinical applications. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 156, 105478. Interoceptive technologies for psychiatric interventions: From diagnosis to clinical applications [PDF]
- Jinich-Diamant, A., Reggente, N., Bolis, D., Lehmann, K., Kanske, P., Lynch, C., Iacoboni, M., Kaplan, J., Hesp, C., Schilbach, L., & Christov-Moore, L. (2024). Toward A Multiscale Account of Trust. Toward A Multiscale Account of Trust.
- Safron, A., Juliani, A., Kiefer, A., Reggente, N., Klimaj, V., & Johnson, M. (in press). On the Varieties of Conscious Experiences: Altered Beliefs Under Psychedelics (ALBUS). Neuroscience of Consciousness. On the Varieties of Conscious Experiences: Altered Beliefs Under Psychedelics (ALBUS). Neuroscience of Consciousness.
- Juliani, A., Safron, A., Kanai, R. (In press) Deep CANALs: A Deep Learning Approach to Refining the Canalization Theory of Psychopathology. Neuroscience of Consciousness. Deep CANALs: A Deep Learning Approach to Refining the Canalization Theory of Psychopathology. Neuroscience of Consciousness.
2023
- Christov-Moore, L., Schoeller, F., Lynch, C., Sacchet, M. D., & Nicco Reggente. (2023). Self-Transcendence Accompanies Aesthetic Chills. Self-Transcendence Accompanies Aesthetic Chills.
- Nicco Reggente, Pluimer, B., Lulla, R., Kaplan, J., Iacoboni, M., & Christov-Moore, L. (2023). Multivariate Connectivity Pattern Analysis of Task-Free fMRI Predicts Subdimensions of Empathy. Multivariate Connectivity Pattern Analysis of Task-Free fMRI Predicts Subdimensions of Empathy.
- Schoeller, F. (2023). Negative self-schemas drive pathological doubt in OCD. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14. Negative self-schemas drive pathological doubt in OCD.[PDF]
- Christov-Moore, L., Reggente, N., Vaccaro, A., Schoeller, F., Pluimer, B., Douglas, P. K., Iacoboni, M., Man, K., Damasio, A., & Kaplan, J. T. (2023). Preventing antisocial robots: A pathway to artificial empathy. Sci. Robot, 8, eabq3658. Preventing antisocial robots: A pathway to artificial empathy. [PDF] [Blog Writeup]
- Schoeller, Felix. "Primary states of consciousness: A review of historical and contemporary developments." Consciousness and Cognition 113 (2023): 103536. Primary states of consciousness: A review of historical and contemporary developments.
- Christov‐Moore, L., Jinich‐Diamant, A., Safron, A., Lynch, C., & Reggente, N. (2023). Cognitive Science Below the Neck: Toward an Integrative Account of Consciousness in the Body. Cognitive Science, 47(3), e13264. Cognitive Science Below the Neck: Toward an Integrative Account of Consciousness in the Body. [PDF] [Blog Writeup]
2024
Christov-Moore, L. (2024). Online survey Validation of guided loving kindness Meditation. Online survey Validation of guided loving kindness Meditation.
- Christov-Moore, L., Schoeller, F., Reggente, N. (2024) Religiosity and Body Awareness Mediate Political Conservatism's Link to Intensity of Aesthetic Experiences: A Californian-Texan Pre-registered Study. Religiosity and Body Awareness Mediate Political Conservatism's Link to Intensity of Aesthetic Experiences: A Californian-Texan Pre-registered Study.
2023
- Christov-Moore, L. (2023). Interactions Between Religiosity and Political Orientation Effects on Aesthetic Chills. Interactions Between Religiosity and Political Orientation Effects on Aesthetic Chills.
2024
- Christov-Moore, L. (2024). The Science of Flourishing. Transform Conference. Los Angeles, Nevada. [Talk]
2023
- Moore, C. (2023, October 25-26). Emulating Entheogens for Enhancing Empathy. Compassion 2.0, San Francisco, CA. [Talk] [Supplemental]
2024
Love, S. (2024). When does a high become a trip? The Atlantic. When does a high become a trip?
Santodomingo, R. (2024). La ciencia intenta desvelar los misterios del escalofrío. El País. La ciencia intenta desvelar los misterios del escalofrío.
Hobson , N. (2024, July 20). MIT Neuroscience Reveals the Mystery Behind Aesthetic Chills. Here’s the Real Reason You Get GoosebumpsHow the intensity of emotional experiences affects your focus. Inc. https://www.inc.com/nick-hobson/mit-neuroscience-reveals-mystery-behind-aesthetic-chills-heres-real-reason-you-get-goosebumps.html
Ubiquity University. (2024). Humanity Rising Day 935: IACS III: Aesthetic Chills and Empathic AI [YouTube]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV9uJKAvBKo
Ubiquity University. (2024). Humanity Rising Day 934: IACS II: Toward a multiscale account of trust [YouTube]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaUtEtU0otE
Ubiquity University. (2024). Humanity Rising Day 933: IACS I: Introduction to the Lab, and review of the Emulating Entheogens [YouTube]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWjvZ1019DM
- Frohlich, J. (2024). How a total eclipse alters your psyche. Nautilus. How a total eclipse alters your psyche
- Woodward, K. D. (2024). Scientists Develop Model to Predict When You’ll Get the Chills from Beautiful Art. Today Headline. Scientists Develop Model to Predict When You’ll Get the Chills from Beautiful Art.
- X, S. (2024). Predicting who will experience aesthetic chills. Phys.org. Predicting who will experience aesthetic chills.
- Lennon, A. (2024). Feeling 'Chills' Improves Self-Beliefs in Patients with Depression. Labroots. Feeling 'Chills' Improves Self-Beliefs in Patients with Depression.
- Chill-Inducing Stimuli Hold Promise as Drug-Free Treatment for Major Depressive Disorder. (2024). https://www.physiciansweekly.com/impact-of-aesthetic-chills-to-overcome-negative-thought-patterns-in-depression/
Report for: Preventing antisocial robots: A pathway to artificial empathy. https://www.altmetric.com/details/151291636
Report for: Aesthetic chills mitigate maladaptive cognition in depression. https://www.altmetric.com/details/158272397
- PsyMed VenturesPsyMed Ventures. (2024). Exploring the Next Generation of Mental Health Solutions. LinkedIn. Exploring the Next Generation of Mental Health Solutions
- Neuroscience News. (2024). Aesthetic chills chase depression away. Aesthetic chills chase depression away.
2023
- Atomic Podcast with Dr. Rooney Sappington. (2023). Atomic Podcast EP. 14 - Interview with Dr. Nicco Reggente and Dr. Leonardo Christov-Moore [Video]. YouTube. Atomic Podcast EP. 14 - Interview with Dr. Nicco Reggente and Dr. Leonardo Christov-Moore [Video]
- Britton, S. (Host). (2023). Making Transcendent Experiences More Accessible with The Institute For Advanced Consciousness Studies (IACS). [Audio podcast episode]. In EvolutionFM. Making Transcendent Experiences More Accessible with The Institute For Advanced Consciousness Studies (IACS)
- Ubiquity University. (2023). Humanity Rising Day 781: Compassion 2.0 Neuroscience of Compassion & Prosociality & Self-Compassion. [Video] Youtube. Humanity Rising Day 781: Compassion 2.0 Neuroscience of Compassion & Prosociality & Self-Compassion.
- Crespi, S., Mclean, K., Lloreda, L.C. (2023). The AI special issue, adding empathy to robots, and scientists leaving Arecibo. Science. The AI special issue, adding empathy to robots, and scientists leaving Arecibo.
- Fan, S. (2023). Giving AI a Sense of Empathy Could Protect Us From Its Worst Impulses. Singularity Hub. Giving AI a Sense of Empathy Could Protect Us From Its Worst Impulses.
- Yirka. B. (2023). How to give AI-based robots empathy so they won't want to kill us. Tech Xplore. How to give AI-based robots empathy so they won't want to kill us.
- (2023). How to give AI-based robots empathy so they won't want to kill us. News Azi. Giving AI a Sense of Empathy Could Protect Us From Its Worst Impulses.
- (2023). How to give AI-based robots empathy so they won't want to kill us. Today Headline. How to give AI-based robots empathy so they won't want to kill us.
2024
- Christov-Moore, L., Reggente, N. (June 2024). Predicting Empathy from Task-Positive Connectivity Patterns Within Task-Free Data: A Cross-Cohort Approach. Organization for Human Brain Mapping, South Korea. [Poster]
- Christov-Moore, L., Schoeller, F., Reggente, N. (July 2024). Aesthetic Chills: A Replicable Path to Self-Transcendence. Association for the Scientific Studies of Consciousness, Japan. [Poster]
Contributors
Project Contributors
Rodney Sappington, Ph.D.
Research Consultant
Micah Johnson, Ph.D.
Research Consultant
Carson D. Kelly
VP of Marketing & Development
Leonardo Christov-Moore, Ph.D.
Senior Research Scientist
Félix Schoeller, Ph.D.
Senior Research Scientist
Ninette Simonian
Lab Manager; Junior Research Scientist
Nicco Reggente, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
Caitlin Lynch
Junior Research Scientist