Differences in Heartbeat Modulation between Excited and Relaxed Kawaii Feelings during Photograph Observation

摘要

Kawaii describes Japanese culture and is used all over the world to express emotional feeling. This study hypothesized that kawaii feelings can be classified as excited and relaxed responses when watching photographs. Heart rate measurements were performed for subjects viewing exciting kawaii, relaxing kawaii, and uninteresting photographs. Statistical tests were conducted to relate heartbeat modulations and photograph conditions. Exciting kawaii photographs enhanced heart rates, while their relaxing counterparts did not increase heart rates to the same levels, validating the initial hypothesis.