Watching Artwork Online Reduces Anxiety and Improves Mood

According to a new study published in review Computers in Human Behaviorviewing artwork online can significantly reduce low mood and anxiety.

240 attendees

Previous research has already shown that viewing real-life artwork, such as visiting a museum or seeing paintings in hospital rooms, can improve mood, reduce stress and increase The well-being. The researchers therefore wanted to assess whether looking at paintings on a screen can also have a positive effect on mental health.

To do this, the research team recruited 240 participants from the University of Vienna and invited them to view an interactive exhibit of Monet’s water lilies on Google Arts and Culture. Participants were invited to view the exhibition on a computer or smartphone. Once the viewing was over, they filled out a questionnaire to share their feelings.

Result: participants reported feeling less anxious and having a better mood after looking at the paintings. The effect was greater in people who enjoyed the art and in those who viewed the images on a computer rather than a phone. Additionally, participants with generally stronger emotional reactions benefited more from the positive effect of art.

Two great lessons

“Our study has two main lessons”, said the study’s author MacKenzie Trupp. “First, we provide further evidence that taking a moment during the day to stop and spend a few minutes looking at online art can reduce low mood and anxiety. Second, these benefits may be more important for those who find more pleasure and meaning in looking at art. People who want to apply this method in their daily life should therefore choose works of art that they particularly like and think about why they find them significant, in order to increase their feeling of well-being”, he concludes.

Mental health professionals could also consider using virtual art exhibitions to improve the psychological state of their patients.