Clarify assumptions
Disclose the theoretical assumptions underlying different perspectives on affective phenomena.
HAF 2027 / Human Affectome Forum
Human Affectome Forum.
Turin, Italy · July 19–23, 2027
The interdisciplinary field of affect gathers to disclose and clarify the theoretical assumptions that shape research on affective phenomena—to integrate those assumptions and implement them algorithmically.
HUMAN AFFECTOMEINTERACTIVE FRAMEWORK
Principled algorithms of feeling01 / 04
THE SCIENTIFIC DIRECTIONFrom diverse theoretical perspectives on affect to an integrated scientific framework.↗
01 / THE FORUM
One field.
Shared assumptions.
In 2024, the Human Affectome framework was published as an invitation to the field to disclose and clarify the assumptions underlying different theoretical perspectives in order to relate them to one another in a principled manner.
In 2027, the interdisciplinary field of affect gathers to put that invitation into practice.
SYMPOSIUM
Articulate the theory.
Researchers from different perspectives clarify their assumptions, address the framework and relate their positions to other views.
Explore SymposiumCOLLOQUIUM
Implement the questions.
Interdisciplinary early-career teams launch the Collaboratory through collaborative preregistrations and empirical research designs.
Explore ColloquiumJoin us in Turin for an experiment in theoretical integration.
02 / HISTORY & HORIZON
Project → Review → Framework → Forum → Database
Project
A global interdisciplinary collaboration begins.
Review
Twelve reviews survey the research landscape.
Framework
An integrative structure organized by a teleological principle.
Forum
The field gathers to advance theoretical integration.
Database
Toward an algorithmically grounded map of affect.
03 / THE HUMAN AFFECTOME
From assumptions to algorithms.
The framework offers a tiered teleological principle for organizing affective concerns and features. The Forum examines the assumptions needed to turn this architecture into testable scientific work.
Read the open-access framework01To ensure viability
02To execute operations
03To enact relevance
04To entertain abstraction
04 / SCIENTIFIC FRAMEWORKTheoretical AssumptionsExplore the eight domains behind a scientific framework.
Adapted, condensed overview of Table 1, “Domains of Assumptions Shaping Scientific Frameworks and Resulting Theory,” without the exemplar column.
| Domain of assumptions | Description | Relationships between domains | Shorthand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pragmatics | Research priorities shaped by scholarly context | Influences what is studied and how it is measured | Why study or measure this? |
| Theoretical virtues | Standards used to judge a good explanation | Shapes evaluation of frameworks and theories | What makes an explanation good? |
| Metaphysics | Assumptions about the nature of a phenomenon | Informs the choice of constructs and mechanisms | What is the phenomenon? |
| Construct | Abstraction chosen for scientific investigation | Depends on foundational assumptions and methods | What are we studying? |
| Mechanism | Assumptions about the processes involved | Connects underlying ontology to observed effects | How does it arise? |
| Operationalization | Ways of making a construct observable | Links concepts to empirical measures | How is it observed? |
| Teleology | Assumptions about the purpose of a phenomenon | Offers a principle for organizing other assumptions | Why does it exist? |
| Framework | The integrated set of assumption domains | Connects the domains into a basis for testable theory | How do the assumptions fit? |
Source: Schiller, Yu et al., The Human Affectome, Table 1. Read the original publication ↗
05 / WHY A FORUM
Three moves toward integration.
Integrate perspectives
Relate those assumptions by organizing them through a tiered teleological principle.
Map algorithms
Translate those assumptions into algorithms for new empirical collaborations.
TORINO / ITALY06 / PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Meet in Turin.
HAF 2027 will gather the international affective-science community in Turin, Italy.
Detailed venue information will be announced.
Explore HAF accommodation07 / JOIN THE CONVERSATION