Affect Practice

In groups of three, examine the artifacts linked below and describe

  1. The specific emotion(s) being evoked or provoked
  2. The pathemata in the artifact (the elements of the artifact that provoke emotional response). Remember that pathemata are often a function of vivid description or emotionally charged language or symbols (ideographs) because they bring something to life for us, make it unavoidable; obviously, visual images and realistic video can do the same. In an image, you’ll need to point out what it is in the image, specifically, that elicits an emotional response.
  3. The affect involved in these emotions (the bodily disposition–nausea, sweaty palms, numbness, rising blood pressure, pupil dilation, change in heartbeat, nervous stomach or weird feeling in stomach, etc.)
  4. Behavior typically associated with these affects (turning away, leaning in, gasping, tearing up, tapping feet or drumming hands, etc.)
  5. Possible interpretations allied with this affect–can you imagine more than one?
  6. Contemplate whether a different interpretation could spark a different or additional behavior. 
  7. Then report back.

Artifact One

Artifact Two

Artifact Three