Working memory, biological movements and empathy in dancers

• Grant number: 18/04241-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2018
• End date: December 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Cognitive Psychology
• Principal Investigator: Maria Gabriela Menezes de Oliveira
• Grantee: Gisele Beltramini Ruiz
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Dance training is well known to cause cognitive and biological changes in individuals. In addition, it is recognized that, during the performance, brain areas belonging to the Action Observation System are activated, including the mirror-neuron network. These systems are important for the individuals' empathic abilities. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that one's output in empathy tests may be related to their working memory capacity for biological movements. Therefore, the goal of the present study is to evaluate working memory in individuals with and without dance experience, considering its relation with empathy and expertise. Thus, this study intends to evaluate empathy and working memory - in terms of its verbal, visuospatial and for biological movements components - from individuals with and without dance experience, in order to stablish correlations. To this end, an empathy questionnaire that assesses distinct empathic components will be applied. Moreover, there will be digit span test and Corsi blocks tests, as well as a working memory test that employs Point-Light Displays - animations containing human figures performing simple actions, that are based in a few point-lights, in order to isolate the movement itself from informations such as colors and textures. (AU)