3-D or 2-D: Our Eyes See Something But Our Emotions Remain the Same

Film technology has come a long way, from images that dance on the screen to characters that actually jump off the page and out into the audience's view; that's what makes a 3-D or 2-D experience so different. However, did you know that when it comes to our emotions, humans are likely to feel the same watching either format?

"We set out to learn whether technological advances like 3-D enhance the study of emotion, especially for young patients who are routinely exposed to high-tech devices and mediums in their daily lives," said lead study author Author Sheila Crowell, assistant professor of psychology at the U, in a news release. "Both 2-D and 3-D are equally effective at eliciting emotional responses, which also may mean that the expense involved in producing 3-D films is not creating much more than novelty. Further studies are of course warranted, but our findings should be encouraging to researchers who cannot now afford 3-D technologies."

The findings are part of a tightly controlled study that suggests varying entertainment mediums may provide different visual experiences, but are likely to evoke the same types of emotional responses. This could certainly prove good news for those who are not wanting to spend extra money on 3-D glasses that come with the experience.

However, researchers reiterate the remaining questions about emotional responses and the audience. What different film effects might result in a different meaning or feeling for others? 

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the journal PLOS ONE.