1.
Symposium on: Transformative Experience Design
Using virtual reality, brain-based technologies and the
language of arts to support self-transcendent
experiences
1Andrea Gaggioli, Ph.D. Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy

2.
Can technology be designed to
support transformative experiences?
2

3.
Transformative experiences
• There are experiences in life that are able to generate profound and long-
lasting shifts in core beliefs and attitudes
• As noted by Miller and C’de Baca, these experiences able to produce a
deep and enduring restructuration of one or more personal dimension
• A transformative experience can change not only what individuals know
and value, but also how they see the world

4.
4
In outer space you develop an instant global consciousness, a people
orientation, an intense dissatisfaction with the state of the world, and a
compulsion to do something about it. From out there on the moon,
international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of
the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, "Look at that,
you son of a bitch!".
Edgar D. Mitchell, Lunar Module pilot for Apollo 14

5.
The transformative experience
of Viktor Frank
<<One day, a few days after the liberation, I walked through the country past
flowering meadows, for miles and miles, toward the market town near the camp
(...) there was nothing but the wide earth and sky and the larks’ jubilation and
the freedom of space. I stopped, looked around, and up to the sky-and then I went
down on my knees. At that moment there was very little I knew of myself or of
the world I had but one sentence in mind-always the same: ‘‘I called to the Lord
from my narrow prison and He answered me in the freedom of space.’’
How long I knelt there and repeated this sentence memory can no longer
recall. But I know that on that day, in that hour, my new life started. Step for step
I progress, until again I became a human being.>>
5
Viktor Frank (1963, pp. 141-42)

6.
Varieties of transcendent experiences
A mental state of focused
absorption in an interesting
and challenging task
Flow
A profound and overwhelming
feeling of wonder or
admiration for something vast
and difficult to accommodate
Awe
Experiences involving intense
feelings of “merging with the
universe”, wholeness, unity,
and integration
Peak experiences
Moral emotions
Positive emotions generated by
the connection with something
greater than ourselves (i.e.,
elevation, compassion,
admiration, gratitude)
Experiences in which the
sense of self can fall away
entirely, creating a distinction-
less sense of unity with one’s
surroundings
Mystical experiences
Experience characterized by
“ego-less”, moment-to-
moment, open, nonjudgmental
awareness
Mindfulness
Yaden et al., (2017, May 1). The Varieties of Self-Transcendent Experience. Review of General Psychology
21 (2), 143-160.

7.
Key questions for TED
• What are transformative experiences?
• Which are the neuro-cognitive signatures of «quantum
change»?
• What are the antecedents and consequences of transformative
experiences?
• Can transformative experiences be «invited» or «facilitated»
using emerging technologies, like VR/AR, AI and brain-based
tools?
7Gaggioli et al. (2016). Transformative Experience Design. In: Gaggioli, A, Ferscha, A,. Riva, G, Dunne, S, Viaud-Delmon, I. (eds.)
Human Computer Confluence. De Gruyter: Berlin

8.
8
Paul, L. A. (2014). Transformative Experience. Oxford: Oxford University Press
EPISTEMICALLY-
TRANSFORMATIVE
The only way to
know what it is
like to have it is to
have it yourself
E.g.: trying a fruit
you’ve never
tasted before;
seeing a color for
the first time
PERSONALLY-
TRANSFORMATIVE
It changes your
point of view,
including your
core preferences
E.g.: Examples:
having a child;
taking a college
course
TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCE
Kinds of transformative experiences

9.
The transformative potential of VR
9
Can VR support epistemically-
transformative experiences?
à the only way to know what it is like to
have it is to have it yourself
VR allows simulating “possible worlds”
and “possible selves”:
Using VR, it is possible to know «what is
like to be a bat» from a first-person,
subjective perspective
Can VR support personally-transformative
experiences?
à if it changes your point of view,
including your core preferences
Can VR support transformative
experiences?
à if it is both epistemically and personally
transformative
VR has shown significant potential as a
tool to promote personal change in
several clinical applications
The potential of VR as a transformative
experience technology in clinical and
wellbeing applications is still unexplored
Gaggioli et al. (2016). Transformative Experience Design. In: Gaggioli, A, Ferscha, A,. Riva, G, Dunne, S, Viaud-Delmon, I. (eds.)
Human Computer Confluence. De Gruyter: Berlin

10.
10Gaggioli et al. (2016). Transformative Experience Design. In: Gaggioli, A, Ferscha, A,. Riva, G, Dunne, S, Viaud-Delmon, I. (eds.)
Human Computer Confluence. De Gruyter: Berlin
The exposure to novel
information (i.e. awe-
inducing stimuli) triggers
the process of
assimilation.
If integration fails, the
person experiences a
critical fluctuation that
can either lead to
rejection of novelty or to
an attempt to
accommodate existing
schema, eventually
generating new
knowledge structures and
therefore producing an
epistemic expansion
A model of
transformational change

11.
VR AWE
CONTENT PRESENCE
HIGHEST
INTENSITY
AWE
VR is an effective medium for inducing
intense feelings of awe in the lab
Chirico, A., Cipresso, P., Yaden, D., Biassoni, F., Riva, G., Gaggioli, A. (2017). Effectiveness of
Immersive Videos in Inducing Awe: An Experimental Study. Scientific Reports 7(1).

12.
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PSYCHOLOGY
Neuro-cognitive models
of self-transcendence
experiences
• Awe
• Flow
• Peak experiences
• Moral emotions
• Mystical experiences
• Altered states of
consciousness
• (…)
ART
Use the language of
arts to create contents
that invite/facilitate
self-transcendence
experiences
• Visual arts
• Music
• Poetry
• Narratives and
storytelling
• (…)
TECHNOLOGY
Use advanced
simulation and
neurotechnologies to
deliver powerful self-
transcendence
experiences
• VR, AR
• Brain stimulation
• Biofeedback
• Neurofedback
• Neurotechnology
• (…)
TRANSFORMATIVE
EXPERIENCE
DESIGN

13.
BourdinP,BarberiaI,OlivaR,SlaterM(2017)AVirtual Out-of-BodyExperienceReducesFearofDeath.PLOSONE12(1): e0169343.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0169343
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0169343
Near-Death Experiences in VR
In 2007, O. Blanke co-authored a Science
paper showing that the possibility of
creating a full body ownership illusion,
and a subsequent out-of-body
experience, using VR
In a recent study, by Bourdin et al (2017)
used this paradigm to test how fear of
death might be influenced by an OBE
Fear of death in the experimental group
was found to be lower than in the control
group

14.
http://www.themachinetobeanother.org/

15.
The exaptation of neuro-technologies
• In the field of biology, Stephen Jay Gould defined “exaptation” the
process in which a feature acquires a function that was not acquired
through natural selection
• Likewise, the ongoing exaptation of neuro-technologies to the digital
consumer market may lead to the rise of a novel “neuro-experience
economy”, in which digital transformation of personal experience is
the main product
Gould, S.J., Vrba, E. (1982) Paleobiology, 8, 4-15

16.
Re-combinant technologies for
personal transformation
Gaggioli, A, Ferscha, A,. Riva, G, Dunne, S, Viaud-Delmon, I. (eds.) (2016) Human Computer Confluence. De
Gruyter: Berlin

17.
Taxonomy of
transformative interaction paradigms
Hyper-presence
(alteration of sense of
presence)
Hyper-interaction
(alteration of sense of
agency)
Hyper-cognition
(augmentation of cognitive
processes)
Hyper-embodiment
(altered embodiment and
re-embodiment)
Sense of space and time, sense
of "being there"
Blended spaces, virtual reality,
substitutional reality,
paradoxical reality, inter-
reality (…)
Sense of agency,
intersubjectivity, social
presence
Brain-Computer Interface,
brain-to-brain interface, social
cybernetics
Sensory, perceptual, cognitive,
affective
Perceptual prosthetics,
cognitive prosthetics,
emotional prosthetics, brain
stimulation (…)
Sensori-motor integration,
body schema,
Embodiment, re-embodiment,
symbiotic body, human-
robotic confluence
Target experience Target neuro-cognitive process Interaction paradigm

18.
Applications? We are moving into
the «transformation» economy…
TED

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The interest towards personal
transformation technologies is growing

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Caveats & challenges
• Need for theoretically-refined accounts of
transcendent experiences
• Mixed methods are key to address the
complexity of the topic (i.e., Varela’s
neurophenomenology)
• Challenges (but also opportunities) in building
common ground among psychologists,
interaction designers and artists
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21.
Related work
• Buie, Elizabeth (2018) Exploring Techno-
Spirituality: Design strategies for transcendent
user experiences. Doctoral thesis,
Northumbria University
• Chittaro, L., & Sioni, R. (2018). Existential
video games: Proposal and evaluation of an
interactive reflection about death.
Entertainment Computing, 26, 59-77
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22.
Conclusion
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• Transformative Experience Design
is concerned with designing
interactive experiences that
support transcendent experiences,
such as awe and wonder
• All in all, it aims at understanding
how interactive technologies could
be designed for the fulfillment of
more essential psychological – and
spiritual needs, beyond
“utilitarian” or “entertaining”
purposes

23.
Session Symposium 1
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Transformative Experience Design
Using virtual reality, brain-based technologies and the language of arts to
support self-transcendent experiences

24.
A framework for studying Transformative
Experiences through VR
Katerina holds a B.Sc. Cognitive Science and
is MSc Student in Interactive Arts & Technology.
She has a diverse research background in
Cognitive Science, Developmental Psychology,
Anthropology and Human-Computer Interaction.
She is interested in exploring the unique
potential and affordances of emerging
technologies, and how to leverage them to
create profound and meaningful experiences
fostering the feeling of connection and leading
to a healthier and more caring society. Her
training in partner dance and acting inspired
some of her work.
Katerina Stepanova
Simon Fraser University

25.
Inside-out: conceptual design and prototype
of a system for the automatic generation of
emotional metaphors in virtual reality
Andrea is Associate Professor of
General Psychology at the Università
Cattolica del Sacro Cuore.
His main research focus is on Positive
Technology, a topic that seeks to
understand how interactive
technologies can be used to foster
positive emotions, personal growth,
creativity, and social connectedness
Andrea Gaggioli
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy

26.
Going Beyond: Lucid Dreaming as a Lens into
Transformative Experience Design for VR
Alex holds a B.Sc. Cognitive Systems and she
is PhD student in Interactive Arts & Technology.
Her research interests involve using an
interdisciplinary approach to understand human
perception and behaviour, and employing
technology as a medium to explore the human
psyche, create better human-computer
interfaces, and provide clinical applications. She
has worked with and taught courses on virtual
reality for over five years. Outside of academia,
she volunteers for a crisis centre and is an avid
lucid dreamer.
Alexandra Kitson
Simon Fraser University

27.
Virtual Reality and the Continuum of Self-
transcendence: From Flow Experience to the
Emotion of Awe
Alice holds a M.Sc. Psychology and is
currently completing her Ph.D in
Psychology. Her doctoral thesis
concerns the potential of virtual reality
and music for inducing self-
transcendent emotions and promote
transformative change.
Alice’s research interests also include
psychophysiology of emotions, flow
and creativity. She is also a music
performer.
Alice Chirico
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy

28.
References
1. Gaggioli et al. (2016). Transformative Experience Design. In: Gaggioli, A, Ferscha,
A,. Riva, G, Dunne, S, Viaud-Delmon, I. (eds.) Human Computer Confluence. De
Gruyter: Berlin
2. Riva G., Banos R.M., Botella C., Mantovani F., Gaggioli A. (2016) Transforming
Experience: The Potential of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality for Enhancing
Personal and Clinical Change. Frontiers in Psychiatry (2016) 7:164.
3. Yaden et al., (2017, May 1). The Varieties of Self-Transcendent Experience. Review
of General Psychology. Review of General Psychology 21 (2), 143-160.
4. Yaden, D.B., Iwry, J., Slack, K.J., Eiechstaedt, J.C., & Vaillant, G.E. (2016). The
Overview Effect : Awe and Self-Transcendent Experience in Space Flight.
Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice Vol. 3, No. 1, 1–11
5. Chirico A., Glaveanu V.P., Cipresso P., Riva G., & Gaggioli A. Awe Enhances
Creative Thinking: An Experimental Study. Creativity Research Journal (2018)
30:2,123-131
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29.
‘‘Only mystery enables us to live, only mystery’’
Federico Garcia Lorca 29