EP85: Dr. Edward Vessel on neuroaesthetics and self-relevance

Hopefully we are all lucky to know the feeling of being lit up. Dr. Ed Vessel studies how neural networks in the brain light up when we are aesthetically moved. I think of this as a type of awe or wonder - when we experience being moved in this way, our so-called "default mode network" becomes very active. The default mode network is generally suppressed unless we are being introspective. Activating this default mode network via experiencing deeply moving artwork can perhaps be a source of renewal, with relevance to living healthfully. Dr. Edward Vessel, PhD is the Eugene Surowitz Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology, City College of New York, The City University of New York. Previously, he was a Senior Research Scientist in the Department of Neuroscience at the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics in Germany. He has also spent time as a Fellow, Professor, and Scientist at New York University. He studied under Irving Biederman at The University of Southern California for his PhD in Neuroscience and obtained his undergraduate degree in Cognitive Science with Honors at The Johns Hopkins University. He researches neuroaesthetics and how self-relevant visual art impacts emotion and cognition in a positive way. He has written about his work in American Scientist.