Where Am I, Now?
- The project explored presence through the senses, questioning the role of technology.
- Data physicalisation revealed how present emotions are shaped by past reflection and future uncertainty.
- Reflection highlighted both the value and risks of categorising subjective emotions.
Understanding
We brainstormed various ideas related to the present moment, eventually deciding to explore it through the lens of the senses. Our discussion revolved around how technology cannot help us be present. To make this tangible, I suggested selecting one sense to focus on and collecting data from it.
Interviews
We interviewed three LCC students to understand their perception of presence. The questions included:
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How do you define the present?
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What makes you feel like you’re “being present”?
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Are there external factors that help?
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What aspects of your current environment make you feel anchored to the present?
- What behaviours or tools help you connect to the present (e.g. meditation, music)?
Data Physicalisation
Inspired by tree rings, our group decided to collect and visualise data on personal perceptions of presence. Participants were asked to identify their current emotions, trace where those emotions came from, and pin them accordingly on the chart. They could also categorise emotions and freely write down the causes behind them.
We found that the cause of present emotions often lies in how people evaluate past and future experiences. The past tended to evoke clearer positive or negative judgments, whereas the future allowed for a wider emotional range, from positive to neutral to negative. I initially expected participants to reflect more on the past, but it was fascinating to see how strongly they engaged with future uncertainty.
Interim Reflection
We received positive feedback on using tree rings as a metaphor for visualising presence. However, this approach also highlighted the risk of categorising emotions, as doing so could unintentionally create bias. Although participants could freely express emotions using white pins, it reminded us that researchers must remain cautious about imposing predefined emotional frameworks.
Reference
- Bloch, M. (1977) ‘The Past and the Present in the Present’, Man, 12, pp. 278–292. Available at: https://doi.org/10.2307/2800799
- Gell, A. (2020) The Anthropology of Time: Cultural Constructions of Temporal Maps and Images. Routledge. Available at: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003135180
- Ravn, S. (2023) ‘Integrating qualitative research methodologies and phenomenology—using dancers’ and athletes’ experiences for phenomenological analysis’, Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences, 22(1), pp. 107–127. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11097-021-09735-0
- Tschumi, B. (1994) The Manhattan Transcripts. New edition. John Wiley & Sons.
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