Digital Galleries: A Question of Viability for Supplemental Internet Based Interventions

Studies show the benefits of physical museums and art (Bennington et al., 2016; Emond, 2006; Slater, 2007; Chan, & Yeoh, 2010); this study investigated whether these benefits can be used by digital museums for Internet based supplemental interventions. This research project sought to investigate the potential for an increase of positive emotions in people looking at digital galleries. It was hypothesized that participants who engage in looking at a digital gallery will show a reduction in negative emotions and an increase of positive emotions. Participants were asked to complete a Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), and demographic questionnaire. They were then asked to look at a gallery on the social media site, Tumblr. After looking at the gallery, the participants are asked to complete another PANAS questionnaire. The pre-test and post-test were compared to see if there was an increase of positive affect and a decrease of negative affect. There was no significant difference in the scores for positive affect between pre-test and post-test, t(15)=-0.829, p=0.210. There also was no significant difference in the scores for negative affect between pre-test and post-test, t(15)=-1.061, p=0.153. After looking at the digital gallery participants indicated that they had a decrease of negative affect meaning that they had an increase in calmness and serenity. There also was a small decrease of positive affect meaning that participants have a small increase in sadness and lethargy. The results were inconclusive, as the sample size was too small to generalize onto a larger population. There exists the opportunity to continue the research with a larger sample size, and see significant results.