The investigation of historical feelings, emotions, and behaviors is challenging, as there is no fossil record to directly reveal how people in the past might have thought and felt. However, researchers are beginning to harness cultural artifacts—such as paintings, literature, and music—to uncover insights about past societies. This process can yield what some scholars refer to as “cognitive fossils,” which provide a glimpse into the psychological landscapes of earlier human beings. Through innovative techniques involving artificial intelligence (AI) and computational analysis, scholars can now scrutinize vast datasets that include thousands of years of cultural material, thereby expanding the horizons of psychological research.
Famous artworks serve as prime examples of how emotions and societal conditions are captured and immortalized. Hieronymus Bosch’s “The Garden of Earthly Delights” offers insight into the adventurous spirit of the Renaissance, while Renoir’s “Dance at the Moulin de la Galette” reflects the leisure and affluence of the Belle Époque. On the contrary, van Gogh’s “The Potato Eaters” and Picasso’s “Guernica” depict the stark realities of poverty and war, respectively. These pieces not only serve as aesthetic enjoyment but also as vessels of historical consciousness, conveying the diverse emotional experiences of their time.
By digitizing historical artifacts, researchers can enhance the understanding of human psychology over time. For instance, social psychologist Mohammad Atari highlights the potential for historical psychology to reveal how societal norms shape individual mindsets. The goal is to formulate theories about human behavior that are not only applicable across cultures but also span different periods. Historical psychology allows for the exploration of transformative social conditions’ impact on individual psyches, thus improving the breadth of psychological study.
However, caution is necessary in this endeavor. The reliance on machines to interpret patterns can lead to misinterpretations, especially given the inherent gaps in the cognitive fossil record. Many cultural artifacts are products of a privileged few, raising questions about whose experiences are represented in the data. Psychologist Nicolas Baumard notes that the artifacts studied provide only a limited view of humanity, emphasizing the need for careful contextual analysis to avoid skewed understanding.
Early explorations focused predominantly on textual analyses, leveraging the vast number of written works produced since the advent of the printing press. For example, Edward Slingerland’s examination of ancient Chinese texts demonstrated how computational analysis can decisively resolve historical debates regarding mind-body distinctions. Similarly, Baumard’s analysis of literature over 3,800 years indicated that increased economic prosperity influences the evolution of romantic love narratives, thereby illustrating the shifting psychological landscape correlating with societal development.
Furthermore, non-textual art forms leave measurable psychological signatures that can illuminate societal transformations. Economists have embarked on projects utilizing AI to analyze emotions expressed in nearly 631,000 paintings. By training AI algorithms to detect feelings associated with various artworks, researchers can unveil broader emotional trends linked to historical events. For instance, findings suggested that shifts in emotional expression aligned with climatic changes during the Little Ice Age and subsequent historical events, offering a unique lens through which to view societal emotional contexts. This approach illustrates the intersection of technology and humanities, leading to a more nuanced understanding of cultural history.
Yet, as researchers delve deeper into these methods, the importance of human expertise remains paramount. Critiques of certain studies underscore the necessity of involving knowledgeable scholars to avoid pitfalls in data interpretation. Despite challenges, there is optimism surrounding the tools’ abilities to enrich our understanding of human history. Utilizing these innovative techniques responsibly can empower scholars to clarify longstanding debates within the humanities, fostering a progressive shift in how we view the interplay between individual psychology and broader societal changes.
