BU Research Blog

Participants wanted for Self-awareness research project

In addition to our snapshots of friends and family, holidays and special events, some of us also take pictures of things just because they caught our interest. We were thinking about something else, when suddenly – as if with a tap on the shoulder – our attention was drawn to the sight of two children playing in a park, an old house, or a bicycle lying by the side of the road. But we don’t know those children, or the people who lived in that house – and that’s not our bicycle.

This project explores the possibility that, when our attention is attracted to images and scenes with which we have no logical or personal connection, it may be because we intuitively recognised the scene (or the elements within it) as an symbolic description of the way we see the world – or perhaps as an allegorical self-portrait of the person we have become.

This project will encourage participants to reflect on the possible significance of their apparently ‘random’ snapshots – and to consider them as potentially valuable sources of personal insight.

Over the course of (approximately) two months, participants will be asked to:

1. Meet three times (online) for approximately one hour each time (twice with the researcher and the other participants – and once one-on-one with the researcher)
2. Take photographs of scenes to which your attention is intuitively attracted
3. Describe and discuss your thoughts and reactions to the things you have photographed

Full anonymity is guaranteed.

The following are regrettably excluded from participation:

• Those under 18 years of age
• Undergraduates

If you are interested in taking part in this project, please contact Rutherford@bournemouth.ac.uk