Brain, Behavior, and Beauty

Bias

New Frankenstein, Old Biases

Anjan Chatterjee MD, FAAN on December 1, 2025

Most people are biased to negatively judge people with facial anomalies. How does popular cinema reinforce this psychological effect?

Most people are biased to negatively judge people with facial anomalies. How does popular cinema reinforce this psychological effect?

Biophilia

Designing for the Mind

Anjan Chatterjee MD, FAAN on August 14, 2025

Does nature, or nature-inspired interior design, help restore fatigued attention, ameliorate stress, and make us more creative?

Does nature, or nature-inspired interior design, help restore fatigued attention, ameliorate stress, and make us more creative?

Aging

The Long and Short of Longevity: Why More Might Be Less

Anjan Chatterjee MD, FAAN on July 22, 2025

Despite increased understanding in how to modify human aging, longevity as a wellness trend sidesteps questions of societal inequities and what makes a good life.

Despite increased understanding in how to modify human aging, longevity as a wellness trend sidesteps questions of societal inequities and what makes a good life.

Neuroscience

Neuroscams: Buyers Beware

Anjan Chatterjee MD, FAAN on May 19, 2025

Neurotech companies promise to harness electrophysiology to help us flourish. How do you decide if their claims should be taken seriously?

Neurotech companies promise to harness electrophysiology to help us flourish. How do you decide if their claims should be taken seriously?

Health

A Room with a View (of Art)

Anjan Chatterjee MD, FAAN on May 16, 2025

Enhancing the built environment with visual art is a major program of the arts in healthcare movement. Does it work?

Enhancing the built environment with visual art is a major program of the arts in healthcare movement. Does it work?

Creativity

The Rise, Flower, and Fall of a Renaissance

Anjan Chatterjee MD, FAAN on April 22, 2025

A climate in which science, art, and culture flourished in the Golden Age of Islam and the conditions that foretold the Age’s demise.

A climate in which science, art, and culture flourished in the Golden Age of Islam and the conditions that foretold the Age’s demise.

Biophilia

An Artist’s Immersion Into Neuroaesthetics

Anjan Chatterjee MD, FAAN on April 5, 2025

What happens when an artist steps into the world of empirical science? A residency at the Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics revealed unexpected parallels between art and science.

What happens when an artist steps into the world of empirical science? A residency at the Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics revealed unexpected parallels between art and science.

Beauty

Is Art Appreciation Going Digital?

Anjan Chatterjee MD, FAAN on March 26, 2025

Can viewing art digitally match the magic of standing face-to-face with an original? Our research challenges long-held intuitions about the power of presence.

Can viewing art digitally match the magic of standing face-to-face with an original? Our research challenges long-held intuitions about the power of presence.

Neuroscience

How Art Can Enhance Science

Anjan Chatterjee MD, FAAN on February 3, 2025

Art and science can be aligned in different ways. We describe one use of art as a tool: using ambiguity to evoke curiosity.

Art and science can be aligned in different ways. We describe one use of art as a tool: using ambiguity to evoke curiosity.

Consumer Behavior

Conspicuous Consumption: The Art World Goes Bananas

Anjan Chatterjee MD, FAAN on December 5, 2024

A wealthy entrepreneur buys a banana for $6.2 million and then eats it at a press event. How can we make sense of this apparent monied madness?

A wealthy entrepreneur buys a banana for $6.2 million and then eats it at a press event. How can we make sense of this apparent monied madness?

Politics

The Art of Politics and the Use of Campaigns as Theater

Anjan Chatterjee MD, FAAN on September 13, 2024

If the presidential campaign is political theater, then emotional categories of aesthetic experiences can be used to frame current events.

If the presidential campaign is political theater, then emotional categories of aesthetic experiences can be used to frame current events.

Bias

Judging People at a Glance

Anjan Chatterjee MD, FAAN on August 5, 2024

The “anomalous-is-bad” stereotype assumes negative traits in people with facial anomalies. Faces with palsies and scars are seen as less warm and less competent and are dehumanized.

The “anomalous-is-bad” stereotype assumes negative traits in people with facial anomalies. Faces with palsies and scars are seen as less warm and less competent and are dehumanized.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Can Art Be Data?

Anjan Chatterjee MD, FAAN on May 30, 2024

Using a taxonomy that can quantify art’s impacts, we demonstrate the beneficial effects of art therapy in military veterans with posttraumatic stress symptoms.

Using a taxonomy that can quantify art’s impacts, we demonstrate the beneficial effects of art therapy in military veterans with posttraumatic stress symptoms.

Beauty

The New Romantics

Anjan Chatterjee MD, FAAN on March 15, 2024

Artists, thinkers, designers, and scientists are converging on the value of art, aesthetics and nature, parallelling earlier Romantics’ response to science and tech gone awry.

Artists, thinkers, designers, and scientists are converging on the value of art, aesthetics and nature, parallelling earlier Romantics’ response to science and tech gone awry.

Environment

The Neuro-Architecture Triad: A Cheat Code for Designers

Anjan Chatterjee MD, FAAN on January 24, 2024

How can architects take psychology and neuroscience seriously? Responses to coherence, fascination, and homeyness offer a cheat code to assist design choices.

How can architects take psychology and neuroscience seriously? Responses to coherence, fascination, and homeyness offer a cheat code to assist design choices.

Consumer Behavior

What Last Minute Shoppers and Art Enthusiasts Have in Common

Anjan Chatterjee MD, FAAN on December 22, 2023

Science affirms what retailers intuit: Shopping is a species of aesthetic engagement. Memorable shopping experiences share emotional territory with standout engagements with art.

Science affirms what retailers intuit: Shopping is a species of aesthetic engagement. Memorable shopping experiences share emotional territory with standout engagements with art.

Cognition

Art, Emotions, and Language: Why Words Matter for Aesthetics

Anjan Chatterjee MD, FAAN on December 6, 2023

While we might think that words and art are different forms of communication, words give form to otherwise nebulous affective states in art.

While we might think that words and art are different forms of communication, words give form to otherwise nebulous affective states in art.

Environment

Is Parkinson’s Disease an Industrial Disorder of Our Making?

Anjan Chatterjee MD, FAAN on July 18, 2023

Parkinson’s disease (PD) was identified at the height of the Industrial Age. Increasingly, PD is recognized as a disease of our making, a consequence of our disregard of nature.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) was identified at the height of the Industrial Age. Increasingly, PD is recognized as a disease of our making, a consequence of our disregard of nature.

Therapy

The Brain and Art Therapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms

Anjan Chatterjee MD, FAAN on July 2, 2023

Art therapy interventions may help veterans with post-traumatic stress symptoms achieve psychological closure.

Art therapy interventions may help veterans with post-traumatic stress symptoms achieve psychological closure.

Magical Thinking

The Case for Scientific Scrutiny Even for Time-Honored Remedies

Anjan Chatterjee MD, FAAN on June 21, 2023

We might believe that health and wellness interventions work, but belief doesn’t substitute for research.

We might believe that health and wellness interventions work, but belief doesn’t substitute for research.