Examining the Ability of Digital Visual Art Engagement to Cultivate Empathy and Social Connection

In this study, we aimed to impact social connectedness and perspective taking using visual art-based psychoeducational materials and skill-building exercises. Participants (N = 381) were assigned to one of three conditions—perspective taking, social connection, or art education control—and watched psychoeducational videos. People then completed a series of 4 weekly virtual art gallery visits. People completed measures of empathy, social connection, and loneliness at baseline, following each visit, and one-week post intervention. Participants reported their level of immersion and reflectiveness following each visit. Results suggest the conditions did not show changes one week post intervention; however, there were interesting findings post-visit. First, reflection was highest in the perspective taking condition, and the social connection condition showed increases in reflection across the sessions. Second, the social connection condition showed reductions in loneliness across the session, which may have been driven by the increases in reflection across time.