Leiden researchers explore fear and silence at Lowlands Festival

Leiden University’s psychologists have taken their research to Lowlands this summer, setting up two immersive experiences to study festival-goers’ emotional responses. In a spooky haunted house by clinical psychology experts Linda de Voogd and Laura Nawijn, participants traverse a dark, unsettling environment while their heart rate, blood pressure, and emotional states are measured, allowing researchers to examine how individuals cope with fear both physiologically and psychologically. After the experience, participants reflect on their fear-management strategies and personal traits, aiding new treatment approaches for anxiety disorders.

Just a short walk away, the “Sprekende Stiltes” (Expressive Silences) installation, led by Gerlov van Engelenhoven and Tom Frijns, invites attendees into a symbolic silence-filled container. Here, dance, images, scents, and sounds, without words, convey messages like solidarity or resistance. Researchers then assess how well participants interpret these nonverbal cues and the role of verbal explanation or synchronized movement in enhancing understanding. This work sheds light on how art communicates beyond language and how silence can unite rather than isolate.

By conducting these experiments in a vibrant, real-world setting, the projects leverage Lowlands’ open-minded audience to generate authentic, scientifically valuable data while offering participants insights into their own emotional responses.

Read more here: https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/nieuws/2025/06/van-griezelangst-tot-stille-kracht-leiden-onderzoekt-emoties-op-lowlands