Perspective Talk 4: Experimental Considerations

Scientists and researchers engage a single question from the symposium brief. Instead of providing final answers, these talks offer working reflections and additional questions aimed at strengthening the foundation of XTA. ANJAN CHATTERJEE: On the Challenges of Experimental Design and Work Following his Thursday keynote lecture, the speaker will expand on the challenges of designing experiments in XTA. The presentation will also address methodological adaptation, the interpretation of failed results, and the importance of cultural sensitivity. Emphasis will be placed on the iterative, evolving nature of this emerging field. IAN CHURCH: How does our understanding of humans as narratival animals who live according to a story, and are located in the true story of the world, shape our aesthetic experience? This talk examines how narrative framing shapes aesthetic and moral perception. Drawing on experimental studies, Ian Church shows that even minimal narrative context can reduce perceived pointlessness in experiences of suffering—suggesting that humans are deeply shaped by story. The findings challenge standard explanations and underscore the robust impact of narrative cues. Applied to architecture, this research suggests that “storied” sacred spaces may foster meaning and reduce existential disorientation, whereas abstract or context-thin environments might risk intensifying feelings of pointlessness. ROBIN JENSEN: How much does the aesthetic quality of a sacred work of art affect the kind or depth of a viewer’s spiritual experience? From 2021 to 2024, a University of Notre Dame research team investigated how sacred art impacts viewers’ spiritual experiences across varying conditions. Funded by the Templeton Religion Trust, the study examined how setting, season, viewing behavior, and artistic style shape perception, memory, and meaning. Across three phases, the team compared reactions to sacred artworks in different environments and liturgical seasons, and tested how subject matter and style influenced response. Using eye-tracking, VR, interviews, and surveys, the project evaluated how effectively spiritual cognition can be measured—and what aesthetic factors most deeply shape sacred encounters.