Changes in emotional state while holding a slimy liquid

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K18695
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 10:Psychology and related fields
• Research Institution: Kumamoto University
• Principal Investigator: Yoshitaka NAKANISHI 熊本大学, 大学院先端科学研究部(工), 教授 (90304740)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-06-29 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 粘性流体 / ニュートン流体 / 非ニュートン流体 / 皮膚 / 感性 / 心拍 / 交感神経 / 副交感神経

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study investigates the emotional changes due to holding a slimy fluid in the palmar skin by evaluating the automatic nerve activities and the sensibility. Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids, with viscosities ranging from 0.01 to 100 Pa*s, were prepared. The subjects could move their palms freely, and they were allowed to rub their palms together. A frequency analysis was performed for estimating autonomic nerve activity (the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves). After holding the fluid, the subjects were asked to provide feedback through the semantic differential method. Significant changes in the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve activations were observed when the subjects soaked their palms in the slimy fluid. Notably, the high viscosity Newtonian fluid reduced the parasympathetic nervous system activity. These changes in the psychophysiological indexes were thought to influence the feelings of the subjects ascertained using the semantic differential method.

Free Research Field

トライボロジー

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、①粘性液体を工学的に分類・調整する能力、②生体の組織的しくみを理解する能力、③“こころ”を分析するノウハウ、が必要であった。限界はあったが、いくつかの専門分野を包括的に結合し、 “ぬるぬる”と“こころ”の相関を探求することで、ヒトの暮らしの質を向上させることをめざした。こころの変化の一部が自律神経活動の変化で説明できること、ニュートン流体と非ニュートン流体の違いがこころの変化に与える影響パラメータであることを明らかにすることができた。これらの知見をさらに深めていけば、より効率的に、より効果的なプロダクトやコンテンツが上市化できる可能性を秘めている。