Western University Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository 2-4-2016 12:00 AM Making Machines Learn. Applications of Cultural Analytics to the Humanities Javier de la Rosa Pérez The University of Western Ontario Supervisor Juan Luis Suárez The University of Western Ontario Graduate Program in Hispanic Studies A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the degree in Doctor of Philosophy © Javier de la Rosa Pérez 2016 Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd Part of the Digital Humanities Commons, Other Arts and Humanities Commons, and the Spanish Literature Commons Recommended Citation de la Rosa Pérez, Javier, "Making Machines Learn. Applications of Cultural Analytics to the Humanities" (2016). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 3486. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/3486 This Dissertation/Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarship@Western. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository by an authorized administrator of Scholarship@Western. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Abstract The digitization of several million books by Google in 2011 meant the popularization of a new kind of humanities research powered by the treatment of cultural objects as data. Culturomics, as it is called, was born, and other initiatives resonated with such a methodological approach, as is the case with the recently formed Digital Humanities or Cultural Analytics. Intrinsically, these new quantitative approaches to culture all borrow from techniques and methods developed under the wing of the exact sciences, such as computer science, machine learning or statistics. There are numerous examples of studies that take advantage of the possibilities that treating objects as data has to offer for the understanding of the human. This new data science that is now applied to the current trends in culture can also be replicated to study more traditional humanities. Led by proper intellectual inquiry, an adequate use of technology may bring answers to questions intractable by other means, or add evidence to long held assumptions based on a canon built from few examples. This dissertation argues in favor of such approach. Three different case studies are considered. First, in the more general sense of the big and smart data, we collected and analyzed more than 120,000 pictures of paintings from all periods of art history, to gain a clear insight on how the beauty of depicted faces, in the framework of neuroscience and evolutionary theory, has changed over time. A second study covers the nuances of modes of emotions employed by the Spanish Golden Age playwright Calderón de la Barca to empathize with his audience. By means of sentiment analysis, a technique strongly supported by machine learning, we shed some light into the different fictional characters, and how they interact and convey messages otherwise invisible to the public. The last case is a study of non-traditional authorship attribution techniques applied to the forefather of the modern novel, the Lazarillo de Tormes. In the end, we conclude that the successful application of cultural analytics and computer science techniques to traditional humanistic endeavours has been enriching and validating. ii Keywords Digital Humanities, Cultural Analytics, Machine Learning, Art History, Face Recognition, Beauty, Calderón de la Barca, Sentiment Analysis, Authorship Attribution, Lazarillo de Tormes. iii Co-Authorship Statement Chapter 2 is an article that has been already published in a peer-reviewed journal. Chapter 3 is in-print for a specialized volume in extreme emotions. Chapter 4 is an article manuscript that will be shortened and submitted to a peer-reviewed journal. The contribution of each author is stated below. Chapter 2: A Quantitative Approach to Beauty. Perceived Attractiveness of Human Faces in World Painting Authors: Javier de la Rosa, Juan Luis Suárez, Adriana Soto-Corominas Status: Published in the International Journal for Digital Art History Experimental work, data analysis and writing were performed by Javier de la Rosa. Juan Luis Suárez provided the theoretical background as well as copy editing and consultation regarding interpretation of results. The manuscript was revised by Nandita Dutta and Adriana Soto-Corominas. Chapter 3: It’s All a Sham! The Role of Emotions in the Characters of Calderón de la Barca’s Autos Sacramentales Authors: Javier de la Rosa, Juan Luis Suárez, Adriana Soto-Corominas Status: In-print in a volume called Baroque to Neo-baroque: Emotion and Seduction of the Senses Experimental work, data analysis and writing were performed by Javier de la Rosa. Juan Luis Suárez provided consultation regarding experimental work, interpretation of results, and the general background and methodological framework. Adriana Soto-Corominas provided us with consultation and help with the privacy and ethics issues related to the collection of the data, as well as the revision of the manuscript. iv Chapter 4: The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes and of His Machine Learning Adversities Non-traditional authorship attribution techniques in the context of the Lazarillo Authors: Javier de la Rosa, Juan Luis Suárez Status: To be shortened and submitted to the PMLA: Publications of the Modern Language Association of America Experimental work, data analysis and writing were performed by Javier de la Rosa. Juan Luis Suárez provided general consultation and advice. The manuscript was revised by Adriana Soto-Corominas and Ben McArthur. v Acknowledgments I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Prof. Juan Luis Suárez, for his accessibility in every step of the research, exceptional support and guidance throughout my study period and transition from a somewhat square state of mind, result of a formal training in the hard sciences and outside work in the industry of software engineering, to a reasonable self-reflexive new self, which has outgrown and improved me in many personal and career aspects of my life. Prof. Suárez has motivated me to continue to strive for excellence particularly during the most challenging times, while providing a reality check of the trade-offs we all must assume at any point of a career. My colleagues, the faculty, and staff from the Department of Modern Languages and Literature, for fostering a kind of critical thinking that I was lacking, for making me realize the importance of knowing how the world has worked and how it currently works beyond the sciences, and for the discovery of how brilliant people can be, no matter their field of study. I would also like to thank my colleagues at the CulturePlex Lab, past and present: María, Miriam, Camelia, Shiddarta, Roberto, Diego and Élika. And the ones who I have shared most of my time and space with: Adriana, Antonio, Ben, David, Nandita, and Natalia. Thanks for making everyday a pleasure to go to work, for sharing your lives and circumstances with me, and for teaching me so much inglish. It has been a long trip, but I am happy to see they are not only excellent researchers and persons, but possibly friends for life. Josema, Gabi, and Fernando, with whom I have shared many virtual meetings, have also been extremely patient and understanding in both my excuses and changes of mood. My distant family: my father, my brothers Fernando, and Raúl, my sister Mirian, and my awesome nephew –who refers to me as “Uncle Javi from Canada”–, who have provided me with their unconditional love and heartwarming support at all times, regardless of whether or not they understood what was that I was doing or even why. This work is dedicated to them. And to my mom, la más Bort, who although sadly and hurtfully long vi gone, is still present in all my life successes and endeavours, and made me the person I am, with her pleasant and serene wisdom that only a great person can have, and who always supported every crazy and adventurous idea I had, even when that meant space and distance between us. My friends, mostly overseas, have offered their smiles, inside jokes, free nostalgia, words of encouragement, and good vibes in that of life always finds its way, and achievements and sharing them, are as important as enjoying the path while maintaining close those who we love. Their contribution has touched my heart and motivated me during the most difficult times. And to the love of my life, Esperanza, who, at the risk of sounding cliché, has provided me with the kind of unconditional, uninterested, and encouraging support that only she can and knows how to offer, despite of the good and bad times, through the good and bad times. And to the tiresome and simpleton dog, Nilo, who at times has forced me to go outside against my will, which almost always has been of help. In summary, my way on this dissertation has made me a more honest, humble, and critical person, and for that I am grateful. Through my collaboration at the CulturePlex Lab and the Hispanic Baroque Project, this research was generously supported by SSHRC and CFI. vii Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... ii Co-Authorship Statement................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgments.............................................................................................................. vi Table of Contents ............................................................................................................