NNI · Neuroscience and Narratives of Intimacy
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2016-05-15 → 2018-05-14
- EU contribution
- €175,866
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF-EF-ST
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Results in brief
Neuroscience and Narratives of Intimacy
As human beings we are inclined to connect, and experiencing meaningful connection bears positive effects on health and well-being. Yet loneliness is a widespread condition with significant consequences on life-expectancy. Underlined by such societal and health relevance, this research project aimed at delineating a novel intellectual framework for the study of intimacy and connection and at promoting reflection and awareness about their importance in life. What is intimacy, what are its components, where is it to be found in our daily lives, and how can it be studied? Contextualized within an interdisciplinary setting across an institute of neuroscience research and an art-science gallery, this research project aimed to innovatively explore and expand a definition of intimacy via the encounter between perceptions and narratives of intimacy and relevant available elements of scientific experimentation in the fields of biology, psychology and neuroscience. Infused with a public engagement component, with the aim of exploring today’s perception of intimacy in popular culture, the project also aimed to trace specifically in the arena of visual arts references to intimacy and the science of it.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
As human beings, we tend to connect. Yet social isolation is a widespread condition with grave consequences on life-expectancy. Ideals of self-sufficiency and new modes of communication incite to isolate rather than attach. By contrast, experiencing meaningful intimate interactions has positive effects on health. But what is intimacy, where is it to be found, has it changed and how can it be studied?Infused with a robust public engagement component, the intended programme of research involves collecting narratives of intimacy from the general public to derive elements of its every day lived experience. Be these obstacles to (shame, fear, attachment deficits) or catalysts for (authenticity, vulnerability, trust) intimacy, the project then scrutinises past and current neuroscience and psychology research that can explain them. The project also aims at finding out whether brain explanations of intimacy resonate loudly with people and in popular culture and whether they disenchant the value of social connection. Overall, the proposed approach bears a twofold potential: On one hand, the intimacy narratives identified may translate into instructive inspiration for the design of experiments by the scientific community. On the other hand, the public will be exposed to and question scientific accounts of intimacy, as well as report whether or not a scientific interpretation of intimacy reconciles with experience. Ultimately, it will be possible to probe levels of incommensurability as well as possible convergences between scientific empiricism and lived experience, data and phenomenology, measurements and narratives and, thereby, test an effective dialogue between the medical sciences and the humanities, as well as science and society. If awarded, this fellowship as well as the training and original work arising from it will allow the fellow to push innovative research boundaries and achieve the appropriate intellectual maturation for a long-term independent career.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- THE PROVOST, FELLOWS, FOUNDATION SCHOLARS & THE OTHER MEMBERS OF BOARD, OF THE COLLEGE OF THE HOLY & UNDIVIDED TRINITY OF QUEEN ELIZABETH NEAR DUBLIN · DublinCoordinatorIreland
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union