Our pupils respond to light, dilating when it is dark
and constricting when it is bright. Pupils also respond to emotional arousal and cognitive or
mentally taxing activity. They dilate when the mind is emotionally charged or cognitively
stimulated, and the extent of dilation is proportional to the intensity of the arousal. It is
an autonomic process that cannot be consciously controlled.
Pupillometry, which measures the dilation of the pupil, can provide an assessment
of emotional arousal, provided that the impact of lighting is taken into account. However, it is
important to note that pupillary responses do not reveal the specific nature of the emotions
being experienced. Therefore, it is necessary to combine pupillometry with other conventional or
biometric research techniques, to gain a more detailed understanding of emotions.