top of page

Art Paper

DOWNLOAD ABSTRACT

pdf.png

Carolina Peral Jiménez

Interviews with photo-elicitation based on the therapeutic process: a way to stimulate the implicit memory in research

We all have two different types of memory: explicit and implicit memory. Explicit memory comprises semantic, narrative, episodic and autobiographical memories. Implicit memories include procedural memory, sensory, emotional and stimulus-response conditioning (Cozolino, 2014). In creative art therapies we are continually working with both kinds of memories as one of the tenets of the therapeutic process is to uncover implicit memory and integrate it into conscious experience.

This paper shows a specific technique of research interview aimed at stimulating implicit memories through the photo-elicitation technique. This method consists in using visual stimuli in an interview to elicit responses as a form to create data (Glaw et al., 2017). The visualization of images stimulates parts of the brain that are linked with emotions and symbolic language, and it activates memories, emotions and feelings. As a consequence, it allows obtaining a different kind of information in the person interviewed (Harper, 2002).
This technique of interview has been used in the doctoral research of the author, titled: Art therapy as an approach to trauma and violence against women: design, application and analysis of intervention methodologies and assessments. In this research, participants were interviewed with the photo-elicitation procedure using as visual stimulus a video created by the art therapist-researcher which combined video clips and images of participants’ artworks, along with the audio recording of their reflections. This methodology was inspired by the ‘Reflect Interview and the Audio-Image Recording’ devised by Springham and Brooker (2013).
From the results obtained, we can conclude that the remembering and connection with emotions that took place during the art therapy programme and looking at artworks created some time ago evoked answers that were different from those obtained without an audio-visual stimulus. It was also noticed that watching the video on the day of the interview helped to reinforce the therapeutic work.

Entrevistas con foto elicitación basadas en el proceso terapéutico: una forma de estimular la memoria implícita durante la investigación.

Todos tenemos dos tipos de memoria: la memoria explícita y la implícita. Dentro de la memoria explícita se incluye la memoria semántica, narrativa, episódica y autobiográfica. La memoria implícita la componen: la memoria procedimental, sensorial, emocional y el condicionamiento estímulo-respuesta (Cozolino, 2014). En las terapias creativas trabajamos continuamente con ambos tipos de memoria, ya que un punto central del proceso terapéutico es hacer aflorar la memoria implícita e integrarla dentro de la experiencia consciente.
Esta presentación muestra una técnica de entrevista dirigida a estimular los recuerdos implícitos a través de la foto-elicitación. La foto-elicitación consiste en utilizar los estímulos visuales para producir datos (Glaw et al., 2017). La visualización de imágenes estimula partes del cerebro que están vinculadas con las emociones y el lenguaje simbólico y activa los recuerdos, las emociones y los sentimientos. Como consecuencia, permite obtener respuestas diferentes en la persona entrevistada (Harper, 2002).
Este tipo de entrevista ha sido utilizada en la investigación doctoral de la autora, titulada: Arteterapia como vía de abordaje del trauma y la violencia hacia las mujeres: diseño, aplicación y análisis de metodologías y registros de intervención. En esta investigación, se entrevistó a las participantes empleando la técnica de la fotoelicitación y usando como estímulo visual un vídeo creado por la investigadora-arteterapeuta que combinaba videoclips e imágenes de las obras de arte de las participantes, junto con el audio de sus reflexiones. Esta metodología se inspiró en la Reflect Interview y el Audio-Image Recording ideado por Springham y Brooker (2013).
A partir de los resultados obtenidos, podemos concluir que la conexión con las emociones que tuvieron lugar durante el programa de arteterapia y la observación de las obras de arte, evocaron respuestas diferentes a las obtenidas sin un estímulo audiovisual. También se observó que ver el vídeo ayudó a reforzar el trabajo terapéutico.

Biography & Recent Publications

Carolina Peral Jiménez is Master of Art Therapy and completed her PhD in Gender Studies Programme of the Complutense University of Madrid with the Thesis: Art Therapy as an approach to trauma and violence against women: design, application and analysis of intervention methodologies and assessments.
She is currently working with a postdoctoral fellowship in the project ALETHEIA: Arts and Art Therapy as a way to deal with trauma and Emotional Memory, conducted by Marián López Fdz. Cao and funded by the Ministry Industry and Competitiveness of Spain.
Carolina is Member of AFIA (Asociación Iberoamericana de Arteterapia) and she has experience of working with women, children and adolescents in therapeutic and educational frameworks.

Publications
Peral Jiménez, C. (2020). Trauma, Art Therapy and Women: a review of approaches, methodologies and experiences. In: Marián López Fernández Cao (Ed). Aletheia volumen II. Fundamentos.
Peral Jiménez, C. (2020). Museums and violence against women. Raising awareness of symbolic violence (p-214-227). En: Alejandra Alonso Tak y Ángel Pazos-López (eds.), Socializing art museums. Rethinking the Public’s Experience. Berlín: De Gruyter, 2020, 399 pp. ISBN: 9783110646320.
Peral Jiménez, C. (2018). “No-case”. The difficulties in the therapeutic relationship in an intervention through art therapy with a pediatric hemodialysis patient. Arteterapia: Papeles de Arteterapia y Educación Artística para la Inclusión Social 13. https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=7133252

Presentations
2019: Paper presentation: ‘Tilting at windmills: the approach to trauma through the artist's book and the life story.’. ECARTE: 15th ECARTE Conference: Imagining Windmills: Trust, truth and the unknown in the arts therapies. September 2019. Spain
2019: ‘LHABT2: Life-history Artist Book Trauma Treatment.’ The International Practice/Research Conference on Friday 12th July 2019 at Queen Mary’s University, London, UK.

bottom of page