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Watier N. Measures of angularity in digital images. Behav Res Methods 2024; 56:7126-7151. [PMID: 38689153 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-024-02412-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
In light of the growing interest in studying the affective and aesthetic attributes of curvature, the present paper describes four digital image processing techniques that can be used to objectively discriminate between angular and curvilinear stimuli. MATLAB scripts for each of the techniques accompany the paper. Three studies are then reported that evaluate the efficacy of five metrics, derived from the four techniques, at quantifying the degree of angularity depicted in an image. Images of simple polygons (Study 1), artistic drawings of everyday objects (Study 2), and real-world objects, typefaces, and abstract patterns (Study 3) were analyzed. Logistic regression models were used to determine the relative importance of the metrics at distinguishing between angular and curvilinear items. With one exception, all of the metrics were capable of distinguishing between angular and curvilinear items at a level above chance, but some metrics were better at doing so than others, and their discriminative capacity was influenced by the characteristics of the image. The strengths and limitations of the metrics are discussed, as well as some practical recommendations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Watier
- Department of Psychology, Brandon University, 270 - 18th St, Brandon, MB, R7A 6A9, Canada.
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2
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Spee BTM, Leder H, Mikuni J, Scharnowski F, Pelowski M, Steyrl D. Using machine learning to predict judgments on Western visual art along content-representational and formal-perceptual attributes. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0304285. [PMID: 39241039 PMCID: PMC11379394 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Art research has long aimed to unravel the complex associations between specific attributes, such as color, complexity, and emotional expressiveness, and art judgments, including beauty, creativity, and liking. However, the fundamental distinction between attributes as inherent characteristics or features of the artwork and judgments as subjective evaluations remains an exciting topic. This paper reviews the literature of the last half century, to identify key attributes, and employs machine learning, specifically Gradient Boosted Decision Trees (GBDT), to predict 13 art judgments along 17 attributes. Ratings from 78 art novice participants were collected for 54 Western artworks. Our GBDT models successfully predicted 13 judgments significantly. Notably, judged creativity and disturbing/irritating judgments showed the highest predictability, with the models explaining 31% and 32% of the variance, respectively. The attributes emotional expressiveness, valence, symbolism, as well as complexity emerged as consistent and significant contributors to the models' performance. Content-representational attributes played a more prominent role than formal-perceptual attributes. Moreover, we found in some cases non-linear relationships between attributes and judgments with sudden inclines or declines around medium levels of the rating scales. By uncovering these underlying patterns and dynamics in art judgment behavior, our research provides valuable insights to advance the understanding of aesthetic experiences considering visual art, inform cultural practices, and inspire future research in the field of art appreciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blanca T M Spee
- Vienna Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Center of Expertise for Parkinson & Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Cognition, Emotion and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Helmut Leder
- Vienna Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Cognition, Emotion and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jan Mikuni
- Vienna Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Frank Scharnowski
- Department of Cognition, Emotion and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Matthew Pelowski
- Vienna Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Cognition, Emotion and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - David Steyrl
- Department of Cognition, Emotion and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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3
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Pombo M, Igdalova A, Pelli DG. Consensus and contention in beauty judgment. iScience 2024; 27:110213. [PMID: 39006484 PMCID: PMC11245996 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Variance across participants is at the heart of the centuries-old debate about the universality of beauty. Beauty's belonging to the eye of the beholder implies large interindividual variance, while beauty as a universal object property implies the opposite. To characterize the variance at the center of this debate, we selected two quartets with either high- or low-variance images with high typicality and a given mean beauty. The quartets have high or low variance across 50 participants (group variance) and correspondingly high or low variance across images of a quartet for each participant (quartet variance). We asked 52 new participants to estimate their own mean and quartet variance. Participants successfully predicted their quartet mean but failed to predict their quartet variance. Though invisible, beauty variance is essential to prediction, both in theory and in practice. The quartets show that mean beauty is not the whole story - beauty variance is heterogeneous.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Pombo
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Denis G Pelli
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA
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4
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Zhang J, Lu Z, Wang Y, Bai X. The Aesthetic Developmental Characteristics of Contour Features in Children and Adolescents with High- and Low- Level Visual Aesthetic Sensitivity across Grade Levels. Behav Sci (Basel) 2024; 14:416. [PMID: 38785908 PMCID: PMC11117876 DOI: 10.3390/bs14050416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
This study examined the aesthetic developmental characteristics of contour features (curved and sharp corners) among children and adolescents with different levels (high and low) of visual aesthetic sensitivity in three grades (4, 6, and 8). The results revealed that (1) there was a significant main effect of contour features, with children and adolescents liking curved contours and perceiving them as more beautiful than sharp-angled contours; (2) there was a significant interaction with contour features in grades 6 and 4, and there was no significant difference in liking curved contours and perceiving them to be more beautiful between students in grades 6 and 4. However, grade 6 students disliked sharp-angled contours and perceived them as more unattractive than grade 4 students; and (3) there was a significant interaction between the level of visual aesthetic sensitivity and contour features, as children and adolescents with both high and low levels of visual aesthetic sensitivity preferred curved contours and considered them more beautiful. However, children and adolescents with high-level visual aesthetic sensitivity disliked sharp-angled contours and considered them more unattractive compared to students with low-level visual aesthetic sensitivity. The results proposed that children and adolescents preferred curved contours, 6th graders were more sensitive to curved contours than 4th graders, and children and adolescents with high-level visual aesthetic sensitivity were more sensitive to sharp-angled contours than children and adolescents with low-level visual aesthetic sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju Zhang
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China; (J.Z.); (Y.W.)
- Department of Applied Psychology, Law School, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China
| | - Zijia Lu
- Law School, Tianjin University of Commerce, Tianjin 300131, China;
| | - Yongsheng Wang
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China; (J.Z.); (Y.W.)
| | - Xuejun Bai
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China; (J.Z.); (Y.W.)
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5
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Clemente A, Kaplan TM, Pearce MT. Perceptual representations mediate effects of stimulus properties on liking for music. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2024; 1533:169-180. [PMID: 38319962 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Perceptual pleasure and its concomitant hedonic value play an essential role in everyday life, motivating behavior and thus influencing how individuals choose to spend their time and resources. However, how pleasure arises from perception of sensory information remains relatively poorly understood. In particular, research has neglected the question of how perceptual representations mediate the relationships between stimulus properties and liking (e.g., stimulus symmetry can only affect liking if it is perceived). The present research addresses this gap for the first time, analyzing perceptual and liking ratings of 96 nonmusicians (power of 0.99) and finding that perceptual representations mediate effects of feature-based and information-based stimulus properties on liking for a novel set of melodies varying in balance, contour, symmetry, or complexity. Moreover, variability due to individual differences and stimuli accounts for most of the variance in liking. These results have broad implications for psychological research on sensory valuation, advocating a more explicit account of random variability and the mediating role of perceptual representations of stimulus properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Clemente
- Human Evolution and Cognition Research Group, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Cognition and Brain Plasticity Unit, Bellvitge Institute for Biomedical Research, L'Hospitalet De Llobregat, Spain
- School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Thomas M Kaplan
- School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Marcus T Pearce
- School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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6
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Świątek AH, Szcześniak M, Stempień M, Wojtkowiak K, Chmiel M. The mediating effect of the need for cognition between aesthetic experiences and aesthetic competence in art. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3408. [PMID: 38341470 PMCID: PMC10858861 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53957-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Although the role of aesthetics and aesthetic education in everyday life was discussed as early as the ancient philosophers, the psychological mechanisms shaping the aesthetic quotient have hardly been investigated by empirical studies. The aim of this study was to examine the direct relationship between experience and aesthetic competence, and the mediating role of need for cognition. The study involved 201 Polish adults, aged 18 to 76 (M = 26.40; SD = 11.89), 65% of whom were women. The respondents completed anonymous questionnaires on an online platform. The surveys included a metric, the Aesthetic Competence Scale (ACS), the Aesthetic Experience Questionnaire (AEQ) and the Need for Cognition Scale (NCS). A positive correlation coefficient was obtained between all three variables studied, with need for cognition acting as a mediator in the relationship between experience and aesthetic competence. The findings indicate that individuals reporting intense aesthetic experiences have a higher aesthetic competence if this relationship is mediated by a high need for cognitive effort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agata H Świątek
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Psychology, University of Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Szcześniak
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Psychology, University of Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland.
| | - Michał Stempień
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Psychology, University of Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Karolina Wojtkowiak
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Psychology, University of Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Marianna Chmiel
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Psychology, University of Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland
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7
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Kathios N, Patel AD, Loui P. Musical anhedonia, timbre, and the rewards of music listening. Cognition 2024; 243:105672. [PMID: 38086279 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2023.105672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
Pleasure in music has been linked to predictive coding of melodic and rhythmic patterns, subserved by connectivity between regions in the brain's auditory and reward networks. Specific musical anhedonics derive little pleasure from music and have altered auditory-reward connectivity, but no difficulties with music perception abilities and no generalized physical anhedonia. Recent research suggests that specific musical anhedonics experience pleasure in nonmusical sounds, suggesting that the implicated brain pathways may be specific to music reward. However, this work used sounds with clear real-world sources (e.g., babies laughing, crowds cheering), so positive hedonic responses could be based on the referents of these sounds rather than the sounds themselves. We presented specific musical anhedonics and matched controls with isolated short pleasing and displeasing synthesized sounds of varying timbres with no clear real-world referents. While the two groups found displeasing sounds equally displeasing, the musical anhedonics gave substantially lower pleasure ratings to the pleasing sounds, indicating that their sonic anhedonia is not limited to musical rhythms and melodies. Furthermore, across a large sample of participants, mean pleasure ratings for pleasing synthesized sounds predicted significant and similar variance in six dimensions of musical reward considered to be relatively independent, suggesting that pleasure in sonic timbres play a role in eliciting reward-related responses to music. We replicate the earlier findings of preserved pleasure ratings for semantically referential sounds in musical anhedonics and find that pleasure ratings of semantic referents, when presented without sounds, correlated with ratings for the sounds themselves. This association was stronger in musical anhedonics than in controls, suggesting the use of semantic knowledge as a compensatory mechanism for affective sound processing. Our results indicate that specific musical anhedonia is not entirely specific to melodic and rhythmic processing, and suggest that timbre merits further research as a source of pleasure in music.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Kathios
- Dept. of Psychology, Northeastern University, United States of America
| | - Aniruddh D Patel
- Dept. of Psychology, Tufts University, United States of America; Program in Brain Mind and Consciousness, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Canada
| | - Psyche Loui
- Dept. of Psychology, Northeastern University, United States of America; Dept. of Music, Northeastern University, United States of America.
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8
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Brielmann AA, Berentelg M, Dayan P. Modelling individual aesthetic judgements over time. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20220414. [PMID: 38104603 PMCID: PMC10725758 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Listening to music, watching a sunset-many sensory experiences are valuable to us, to a degree that differs significantly between individuals, and within an individual over time. We have theorized (Brielmann & Dayan 2022 Psychol. Rev. 129, 1319-1337 (doi:10.1037/rev0000337))) that these idiosyncratic values derive from the task of using experiences to tune the sensory-cognitive system to current and likely future input. We tested the theory using participants' (n = 59) ratings of a set of dog images (n = 55) created using the NeuralCrossbreed morphing algorithm. A full realization of our model that uses feature representations extracted from image-recognizing deep neural nets (e.g. VGG-16) is able to capture liking judgements on a trial-by-trial basis (median r = 0.65), outperforming predictions based on population averages (median r = 0.01). Furthermore, the model's learning component allows it to explain image sequence dependent rating changes, capturing on average 17% more variance in the ratings for the true trial order than for simulated random trial orders. This validation of our theory is the first step towards a comprehensive treatment of individual differences in evaluation. This article is part of the theme issue 'Art, aesthetics and predictive processing: theoretical and empirical perspectives'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aenne A. Brielmann
- Department of Computational Neuroscience, Max-Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, 72076, Germany
- Hector Research Institute of Education Sciences and Psychology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, 72074, Germany
| | - Max Berentelg
- Department of Computational Neuroscience, Max-Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, 72076, Germany
| | - Peter Dayan
- Department of Computational Neuroscience, Max-Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, 72076, Germany
- Department of Psychology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, 72074, Germany
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9
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Bignardi G, Smit DJA, Vessel EA, Trupp MD, Ticini LF, Fisher SE, Polderman TJC. Genetic effects on variability in visual aesthetic evaluations are partially shared across visual domains. Commun Biol 2024; 7:55. [PMID: 38184755 PMCID: PMC10771521 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05710-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024] Open
Abstract
The aesthetic values that individuals place on visual images are formed and shaped over a lifetime. However, whether the formation of visual aesthetic value is solely influenced by environmental exposure is still a matter of debate. Here, we considered differences in aesthetic value emerging across three visual domains: abstract images, scenes, and faces. We examined variability in two major dimensions of ordinary aesthetic experiences: taste-typicality and evaluation-bias. We build on two samples from the Australian Twin Registry where 1547 and 1231 monozygotic and dizygotic twins originally rated visual images belonging to the three domains. Genetic influences explained 26% to 41% of the variance in taste-typicality and evaluation-bias. Multivariate analyses showed that genetic effects were partially shared across visual domains. Results indicate that the heritability of major dimensions of aesthetic evaluations is comparable to that of other complex social traits, albeit lower than for other complex cognitive traits. The exception was taste-typicality for abstract images, for which we found only shared and unique environmental influences. Our study reveals that diverse sources of genetic and environmental variation influence the formation of aesthetic value across distinct visual domains and provides improved metrics to assess inter-individual differences in aesthetic value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Bignardi
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
- Max Planck School of Cognition, Stephanstrasse 1a, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Dirk J A Smit
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Edward A Vessel
- Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, Frankfurt, Germany
- Department of Psychology, City College, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - MacKenzie D Trupp
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Luca F Ticini
- Department of Psychology, Webster Vienna Private University, Vienna, Austria
| | - Simon E Fisher
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Tinca J C Polderman
- Clinical Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- VKC Psyche, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychosocial Care, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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10
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Benaissa B, Kobayashi M. The consumers' response to product design: a narrative review. ERGONOMICS 2023; 66:791-820. [PMID: 36154914 DOI: 10.1080/00140139.2022.2127919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
This paper reviews the research ideas around consumer response to product design. From the product side, we discuss the most significant design features preferred by average consumers, such as aesthetics and utility. And from the consumer side, we investigate the human factors influencing consumer perceptions. We present the main approaches used to measure the consumer response to product design and summarize the multiple biases that occur during the evaluation. Finally, we present in detail the most commonly used methods to analyze consumer response data and their roles in the design evaluation context. Practitioner Summary: To answer the question: What causes differences in design response? We summarise the research findings related to product design features and human factors. We highlight the biases that can emerge from the measurement approach. And discuss the most common analysis methods used for product design response information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brahim Benaissa
- Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering, Design Engineering Lab, Toyota Technological Institute, Aichi, Japan
| | - Masakazu Kobayashi
- Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering, Design Engineering Lab, Toyota Technological Institute, Aichi, Japan
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11
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Abstract
Recall memory and sequential dependence threaten the independence of successive beauty ratings. Such independence is usually assumed when using repeated measures to estimate the intrinsic variance of a rating. We call "intrinsic" the variance of all possible responses that the participant could give on a trial. Variance arises within and across participants. In attributing the measured variance to sources, the first step is to assess how much is intrinsic. In seven experiments, we measure how much of the variability across beauty ratings can be attributed to recall memory and sequential dependence. With a set size of one, memory is a problem and contributes half the measured variance. However, we showed that for both beauty and ellipticity, with set size of nine or more, recall memory causes a mere 10% increase in the variance of repeated ratings. Moreover, we showed that as long as the stimuli are diverse (i.e., represent different object categories), sequential dependence does not affect the variance of beauty ratings. Lastly, the variance of beauty ratings increases in proportion to the 0.15 power of stimulus set size. We show that the beauty rating of a stimulus in a diverse set is affected by the stimulus set size and not the value of other stimuli. Overall, we conclude that the variance of repeated ratings is a good way to estimate the intrinsic variance of a beauty rating of a stimulus in a diverse set.
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12
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Świątek AH, Szcześniak M. The Ability to Integrate Beauty Scale (AIBS): Construction and Psychometric Properties on a Scale for Measuring Aesthetic Intelligence as a Resource for Personal Development. Psychol Res Behav Manag 2023; 16:1647-1662. [PMID: 37169003 PMCID: PMC10164653 DOI: 10.2147/prbm.s407553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Ferrucci, a philosopher and psychotherapist, presented an original three-factor aesthetic intelligence concept in his book "Beauty and Soul" (2009). The subject of this article is the presentation of work on the construction of a scale for measuring one of the three dimensions of aesthetic intelligence, the ability to integrate beauty (AIB). This is probably the first attempt to empirically operationalize this concept. Methods The three independent studies were carried out with a total of 604 participants. The aim of the first study was to develop the AIBS scale and to test its factor structure. During Study 2 and Study 3, we verified the AIBS structure through the confirmatory analysis and checked its convergent and discriminant validity. Results The outcomes indicate that a one-factor, and seven-item tool is characterized by very good psychometric properties. Moreover, the results suggest that the AIB is indeed positively related to the perception of artworks (6 dimensions of an aesthetic experience), regulation of emotions through artistic creative activities, as well as to aesthetic competencies in art. The AIB is indeed positively related to the greater intensity of light triad traits (humanism, kantianism, faith in humanity) and to the development of the individual in five areas of spirituality. AIB is also only slightly related to the search for meaning and to one dimension of well-being, which is satisfaction and the sense of power.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agata Hiacynta Świątek
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Psychology, University of Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Szcześniak
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Psychology, University of Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland
- Correspondence: Małgorzata Szcześniak, Email
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13
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Chuquichambi EG, Vartanian O, Skov M, Corradi GB, Nadal M, Silvia PJ, Munar E. How universal is preference for visual curvature? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2022; 1518:151-165. [PMID: 36285721 PMCID: PMC10091794 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Evidence dating back a century shows that humans are sensitive to and exhibit a preference for visual curvature. This effect has been observed in different age groups, human cultures, and primate species, suggesting that a preference for curvature could be universal. At the same time, several studies have found that preference for curvature is modulated by contextual and individual factors, casting doubt on this hypothesis. To resolve these conflicting findings, we conducted a systematic meta-analysis of studies that have investigated the preference for visual curvature. Our meta-analysis included 61 studies which provided 106 independent samples and 309 effect sizes. The results of a three-level random effects model revealed a Hedges' g of 0.39-consistent with a medium effect size. Further analyses revealed that preference for curvature is moderated by four factors: presentation time, stimulus type, expertise, and task. Together, our results suggest that preference for visual curvature is a reliable but not universal phenomenon and is influenced by factors other than perceptual information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erick G. Chuquichambi
- Human Evolution and Cognition Group (EvoCog)University of the Balearic IslandsPalma de MallorcaSpain
| | - Oshin Vartanian
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Martin Skov
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic ResonanceCopenhagen University Hospital HvidovreHvidovreDenmark
- Decision Neuroscience Research ClusterCopenhagen Business SchoolFrederiksbergDenmark
| | - Guido B. Corradi
- Department of PsychologyFaculty of HealthUniversity Camilo José CelaMadridSpain
| | - Marcos Nadal
- Human Evolution and Cognition Group (EvoCog)University of the Balearic IslandsPalma de MallorcaSpain
| | - Paul J. Silvia
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of North Carolina at GreensboroGreensboroNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Enric Munar
- Human Evolution and Cognition Group (EvoCog)University of the Balearic IslandsPalma de MallorcaSpain
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14
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Karim AKMR, Proulx MJ, de Sousa AA, Likova LT. Do we enjoy what we sense and perceive? A dissociation between aesthetic appreciation and basic perception of environmental objects or events. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 22:904-951. [PMID: 35589909 PMCID: PMC10159614 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-022-01004-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
This integrative review rearticulates the notion of human aesthetics by critically appraising the conventional definitions, offerring a new, more comprehensive definition, and identifying the fundamental components associated with it. It intends to advance holistic understanding of the notion by differentiating aesthetic perception from basic perceptual recognition, and by characterizing these concepts from the perspective of information processing in both visual and nonvisual modalities. To this end, we analyze the dissociative nature of information processing in the brain, introducing a novel local-global integrative model that differentiates aesthetic processing from basic perceptual processing. This model builds on the current state of the art in visual aesthetics as well as newer propositions about nonvisual aesthetics. This model comprises two analytic channels: aesthetics-only channel and perception-to-aesthetics channel. The aesthetics-only channel primarily involves restricted local processing for quality or richness (e.g., attractiveness, beauty/prettiness, elegance, sublimeness, catchiness, hedonic value) analysis, whereas the perception-to-aesthetics channel involves global/extended local processing for basic feature analysis, followed by restricted local processing for quality or richness analysis. We contend that aesthetic processing operates independently of basic perceptual processing, but not independently of cognitive processing. We further conjecture that there might be a common faculty, labeled as aesthetic cognition faculty, in the human brain for all sensory aesthetics albeit other parts of the brain can also be activated because of basic sensory processing prior to aesthetic processing, particularly during the operation of the second channel. This generalized model can account not only for simple and pure aesthetic experiences but for partial and complex aesthetic experiences as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K M Rezaul Karim
- Department of Psychology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh.
- Envision Research Institute, 610 N. Main St., Wichita, KS, USA.
- The Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute, 2318 Fillmore St., San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | | | | | - Lora T Likova
- The Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute, 2318 Fillmore St., San Francisco, CA, USA
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15
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Costa MÂ. A Dose of Creativity: An Integrative Review of the Effects of Serotonergic Psychedelics on Creativity. J Psychoactive Drugs 2022:1-11. [PMID: 35895868 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2022.2106805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
This integrative review was conducted to summarize the knowledge pertaining to the effects that serotonergic psychedelics can have on creativity, a multi-dimensional construct referring to the ability to produce original and valuable artifacts. Psychedelics, which have long been hailed as substances that can enhance the creative process in their users, have experienced a recent resurgence in research, allowing the opportunity to better understand this relationship. To this end, I reviewed literature which attempted to study the effects of serotonergic psychedelics on creativity through psychometric methods. A total of eleven studies were reviewed, with four psychedelic compounds represented. Every study assessed components and subcomponents of divergent and convergent thinking, with only one instance of product assessment. Results suggest that convergent thinking may increase during the post-acute phases of the drugs' intake, fostering the capacity for development of previously generated ideas. However, this evidence may be circumstantial based on the low number of studies available, small sample sizes, overall lack of randomized controlled trials, and significant methodological limitations throughout most studies. Potential mechanisms underlying these effects are discussed, along with the current state of the research and implications for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Ângelo Costa
- Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Lisbon, Portugal
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16
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Chiarella SG, Torromino G, Gagliardi DM, Rossi D, Babiloni F, Cartocci G. Investigating the negative bias towards artificial intelligence: Effects of prior assignment of AI-authorship on the aesthetic appreciation of abstract paintings. COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2022.107406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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17
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Social reputation influences on liking and willingness-to-pay for artworks: A multimethod design investigating choice behavior along with physiological measures and motivational factors. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0266020. [PMID: 35442966 PMCID: PMC9020698 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Art, as a prestigious cultural commodity, concerns aesthetic and monetary values, personal tastes, and social reputation in various social contexts—all of which are reflected in choices concerning our liking, or in other contexts, our actual willingness-to-pay for artworks. But, how do these different aspects interact in regard to the concept of social reputation and our private versus social selves, which appear to be essentially intervening, and potentially conflicting, factors driving choice? In our study, we investigated liking and willingness-to-pay choices using—in art research—a novel, forced-choice paradigm. Participants (N = 123) made choices from artwork-triplets presented with opposing artistic quality and monetary value-labeling, thereby creating ambiguous choice situations. Choices were made in either private or in social/public contexts, in which participants were made to believe that either art-pricing or art-making experts were watching their selections. A multi-method design with eye-tracking, neuroendocrinology (testosterone, cortisol), and motivational factors complemented the behavioral choice analysis. Results showed that artworks, of which participants were told were of high artistic value were more often liked and those of high monetary-value received more willingness-to-pay choices. However, while willingness-to-pay was significantly affected by the presumed observation of art-pricing experts, liking selections did not differ between private/public contexts. Liking choices, compared to willingness-to-pay, were also better predicted by eye movement patterns. Whereas, hormone levels had a stronger relation with monetary aspects (willingness-to-pay/ art-pricing expert). This was further confirmed by motivational factors representative for reputation seeking behavior. Our study points to an unexplored terrain highlighting the linkage of social reputation mechanisms and its impact on choice behavior with a ubiquitous commodity, art.
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18
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Xenakis I, Arnellos A. Ontological and conceptual challenges in the study of aesthetic experience. PHILOSOPHICAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/09515089.2022.2062314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Xenakis
- Department of Product and Systems Design Engineering, Complex Systems and Service Design Lab, University of the Aegean, Syros, Greece
| | - Argyris Arnellos
- Department of Product and Systems Design Engineering, Complex Systems and Service Design Lab, University of the Aegean, Syros, Greece
- IAS-Research Centre for Life, Mind & Society, Department of Logic and Philosophy of Science, University of the Basque Country, San Sebastián, Spain
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19
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Chen YC, Chang A, Rosenberg MD, Feng D, Scholl BJ, Trainor LJ. “Taste typicality” is a foundational and multi-modal dimension of ordinary aesthetic experience. Curr Biol 2022; 32:1837-1842.e3. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.02.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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20
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Leder H, Hakala J, Peltoketo VT, Valuch C, Pelowski M. Swipes and Saves: A Taxonomy of Factors Influencing Aesthetic Assessments and Perceived Beauty of Mobile Phone Photographs. Front Psychol 2022; 13:786977. [PMID: 35295400 PMCID: PMC8918498 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.786977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Digital images taken by mobile phones are the most frequent class of images created today. Due to their omnipresence and the many ways they are encountered, they require a specific focus in research. However, to date, there is no systematic compilation of the various factors that may determine our evaluations of such images, and thus no explanation of how users select and identify relatively “better” or “worse” photos. Here, we propose a theoretical taxonomy of factors influencing the aesthetic appeal of mobile phone photographs. Beyond addressing relatively basic/universal image characteristics, perhaps more related to fast (bottom-up) perceptual processing of an image, we also consider factors involved in the slower (top-down) re-appraisal or deepened aesthetic appreciation of an image. We span this taxonomy across specific types of picture genres commonly taken—portraits of other people, selfies, scenes and food. We also discuss the variety of goals, uses, and contextual aspects of users of mobile phone photography. As a working hypothesis, we propose that two main decisions are often made with mobile phone photographs: (1) Users assess images at a first glance—by swiping through a stack of images—focusing on visual aspects that might be decisive to classify them from “low quality” (too dark, out of focus) to “acceptable” to, in rare cases, “an exceptionally beautiful picture.” (2) Users make more deliberate decisions regarding one’s “favorite” picture or the desire to preserve or share a picture with others, which are presumably tied to aspects such as content, framing, but also culture or personality, which have largely been overlooked in empirical research on perception of photographs. In sum, the present review provides an overview of current focal areas and gaps in research and offers a working foundation for upcoming research on the perception of mobile phone photographs as well as future developments in the fields of image recording and sharing technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helmut Leder
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- *Correspondence: Helmut Leder,
| | - Jussi Hakala
- Huawei Technologies Oy (Finland) Co. Ltd, Tampere, Finland
| | | | - Christian Valuch
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Matthew Pelowski
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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21
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Abstract
Humans, like other species, have a preference for symmetrical visual stimuli, a preference that is influenced by factors such as age, sex, and artistic training. In particular, artistic training seems to decrease the rejection of asymmetry in abstract stimuli. However, it is not known whether the same trend would be observed in relation to concrete stimuli such as human faces. In this article, we investigated the role of expertise in visual arts, music, and dance, in the perceived beauty and attractiveness of human faces with different asymmetries. With this objective, the beauty and attractiveness of 100 photographs of faces with different degrees of asymmetry were evaluated by 116 participants with different levels of art expertise. Expertise in visual arts and dance was associated with the extent to which facial asymmetry influenced the beauty ratings assigned to the faces. The greater the art expertise in visual arts and dance, the more indifferent to facial asymmetry the participant was to evaluate beauty. The same effect was not found for music and neither for attractiveness ratings. These findings are important to help understand how face aesthetic evaluation is modified by artistic training and the difference between beauty and attractiveness evaluations.
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22
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The Living Space: Psychological Well-Being and Mental Health in Response to Interiors Presented in Virtual Reality. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph182312510. [PMID: 34886236 PMCID: PMC8656816 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182312510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Revised: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
There has been a recent interest in how architecture affects mental health and psychological well-being, motivated by the fact that we spend the majority of our waking time inside and interacting with built environments. Some studies have investigated the psychological responses to indoor design parameters; for instance, contours, and proposed that curved interiors, when compared to angular ones, were aesthetically preferred and induced higher positive emotions. The present study aimed to systematically examine this hypothesis and further explore the impact of contrasting contours on affect, behavior, and cognition. We exposed 42 participants to four well-matched indoor living rooms under a free-exploration photorealistic virtual reality paradigm. We included style as an explorative second-level variable. Out of the 33 outcome variables measured, and after correcting for false discoveries, only two eventually confirmed differences in the contours analysis, in favor of angular rooms. Analysis of style primarily validated the contrast of our stimulus set, and showed significance in one other dependent variable. Results of additional analysis using the Bayesian framework were in line with those of the frequentist approach. The present results provide evidence against the hypothesis that curvature is preferred, suggesting that the psychological response to contours in a close-to-reality architectural setting could be more complex. This study, therefore, helps to communicate a more complete scientific view on the experience of interior spaces and proposes directions for necessary future research.
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23
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Skov M, Vartanian O, Navarrete G, Modroño C, Chatterjee A, Leder H, Gonzalez-Mora JL, Nadal M. Differences in regional gray matter volume predict the extent to which openness influences judgments of beauty and pleasantness of interior architectural spaces. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2021; 1507:133-145. [PMID: 34480374 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Hedonic evaluation of sensory objects varies from person to person. While this variability has been linked to differences in experience, little is known about why stimuli lead to different evaluations in different people. We used linear mixed-effects models to determine the extent to which the openness, contour, and ceiling height of interior spaces influenced the beauty and pleasantness ratings of 18 participants. Then, by analyzing structural brain images acquired for the same group of participants, we asked if any regional gray matter volume (rGMV) covaried with these differences in the extent to which the three features influence beauty and pleasantness ratings. Voxel-based morphometry analysis revealed that the influence of openness on pleasantness ratings correlated with rGMV in the anterior prefrontal cortex (Brodmann area (BA)-10), and the influence of openness on beauty ratings correlated with rGMV in the temporal pole (BA38) and cluster, including the posterior cingulate cortex (BA31) and paracentral lobule (BA5/6). There were no significant correlations involving contour or ceiling height. Our results suggest that regional variance in gray matter volume may play a role in the computation of hedonic valuation and account for differences in the way people weigh certain attributes of interior architectural spaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Skov
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Decision Neuroscience Research Group, Copenhagen Business School, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Oshin Vartanian
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gorka Navarrete
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (CSCN), School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Cristian Modroño
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain.,University Institute of Neuroscience, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain
| | - Anjan Chatterjee
- Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Helmut Leder
- Faculty of Psychology & Cognitive Science Research Platform, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - José L Gonzalez-Mora
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain.,University Institute of Neuroscience, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain
| | - Marcos Nadal
- University of the Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
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24
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Chuquichambi EG, Palumbo L, Rey C, Munar E. Shape familiarity modulates preference for curvature in drawings of common-use objects. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11772. [PMID: 34268016 PMCID: PMC8269663 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Drawing is a way to represent common-use objects. The contour of an object is a salient feature that defines its identity. Preference for a contour (curved or angular) may depend on how familiar the resulting shape looks for that given object. In this research, we examined the influence of shape familiarity on preference for curved or sharp-angled drawings of common-use objects. We also examined the possibility that some individual differences modulated this preference. Preference for curvature was assessed with a liking rating task (Experiment 1) and with a two-alternative forced-choice task simulating approach/avoidance responses (Experiment 2). Shape familiarity was assessed with a familiarity selection task where participants selected the most familiar shape between the curved and the angular version for each object, or whether both shapes were equally familiar for the object. We found a consistent preference for curvature in both experiments. This preference increased when the objects with a curved shape were selected as the most familiar ones. We also found preference for curvature when participants selected the shape of objects as equally familiar. However, there was no preference for curvature or preference for angularity when participants selected the sharp-angled shapes as the most familiar ones. In Experiment 2, holistic and affective types of intuition predicted higher preference for curvature. Conversely, participants with higher scores in the unconventionality facet showed less preference for the curved drawings. We conclude that shape familiarity and individual characteristics modulate preference for curvature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erick G Chuquichambi
- Human Evolution and Cognition Group (EvoCog), University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Balearic Islands, Spain
| | - Letizia Palumbo
- Department of Psychology, Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Carlos Rey
- Human Evolution and Cognition Group (EvoCog), University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Balearic Islands, Spain
| | - Enric Munar
- Human Evolution and Cognition Group (EvoCog), University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Balearic Islands, Spain
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25
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Clemente A, Pearce MT, Skov M, Nadal M. Evaluative judgment across domains: Liking balance, contour, symmetry and complexity in melodies and visual designs. Brain Cogn 2021; 151:105729. [PMID: 33887654 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2021.105729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Evaluative judgment-i.e., assessing to what degree a stimulus is liked or disliked-is a fundamental aspect of cognition, facilitating comparison and choosing among alternatives, deciding, and prioritizing actions. Neuroimaging studies have shown that evaluative judgment involves the projection of sensory information to the reward circuit. To investigate whether evaluative judgments are based on modality-specific or modality-general attributes, we compared the extent to which balance, contour, symmetry, and complexity affect liking responses in the auditory and visual modalities. We found no significant correlation for any of the four attributes across sensory modalities, except for contour. This suggests that evaluative judgments primarily rely on modality-specific sensory representations elaborated in the brain's sensory cortices and relayed to the reward circuit, rather than abstract modality-general representations. The individual traits art experience, openness to experience, and desire for aesthetics were associated with the extent to which design or compositional attributes influenced liking, but inconsistently across sensory modalities and attributes, also suggesting modality-specific influences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Clemente
- Human Evolution and Cognition Research Group (EvoCog), University of the Balearic Islands, Spain
| | - Marcus T Pearce
- School of Electronic Engineering & Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London, UK; Centre for Music in the Brain, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Martin Skov
- Danish Research Center for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark; Center for Decision Neuroscience, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark
| | - Marcos Nadal
- Human Evolution and Cognition Research Group (EvoCog), University of the Balearic Islands, Spain.
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26
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Skov M, Nadal M. The nature of beauty: behavior, cognition, and neurobiology. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2020; 1488:44-55. [DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Skov
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre Denmark
- Decision Neuroscience Research Cluster Copenhagen Business School Frederiksberg Denmark
| | - Marcos Nadal
- Human Evolution and Cognition Group Department of Psychology University of the Balearic Islands Palma Spain
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27
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Myszkowski N, Zenasni F. Using Visual Aesthetic Sensitivity Measures in Museum Studies. Front Psychol 2020; 11:414. [PMID: 32210899 PMCID: PMC7075851 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nils Myszkowski
- Department of Psychology, Pace University, New York City, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Nils Myszkowski
| | - Franck Zenasni
- Université de Paris, LAPEA, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
- LAPEA, Univ. Gustave Eiffel, IFSTTAR, Versailles, France
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28
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A Set of 200 Musical Stimuli Varying in Balance, Contour, Symmetry, and Complexity: Behavioral and Computational Assessments. Behav Res Methods 2020; 52:1491-1509. [DOI: 10.3758/s13428-019-01329-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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29
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Skov M, Nadal M. A Farewell to Art: Aesthetics as a Topic in Psychology and Neuroscience. PERSPECTIVES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2020; 15:630-642. [PMID: 32027577 DOI: 10.1177/1745691619897963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Empirical aesthetics and neuroaesthetics study two main issues: the valuation of sensory objects and art experience. These two issues are often treated as if they were intrinsically interrelated: Research on art experience focuses on how art elicits aesthetic pleasure, and research on valuation focuses on special categories of objects or emotional processes that determine the aesthetic experience. This entanglement hampers progress in empirical aesthetics and neuroaesthetics and limits their relevance to other domains of psychology and neuroscience. Substantial progress in these fields is possible only if research on aesthetics is disentangled from research on art. We define aesthetics as the study of how and why sensory stimuli acquire hedonic value. Under this definition, aesthetics becomes a fundamental topic for psychology and neuroscience because it links hedonics (the study of what hedonic valuation is in itself) and neuroeconomics (the study of how hedonic values are integrated into decision making and behavioral control). We also propose that this definition of aesthetics leads to concrete empirical questions, such as how perceptual information comes to engage value signals in the reward circuit or why different psychological and neurobiological factors elicit different appreciation events for identical sensory objects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Skov
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre.,Decision Neuroscience Research Cluster, Copenhagen Business School
| | - Marcos Nadal
- Human Evolution and Cognition Group, Institute for Cross-Disciplinary Physics and Complex Systems, University of the Balearic Islands/Spanish National Research Council
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30
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Myszkowski N, Çelik P, Storme M. Commentary on Corradi et al.'s (2019) new conception of aesthetic sensitivity: Is the ability conception dead? Br J Psychol 2020; 111:659-662. [PMID: 31997304 DOI: 10.1111/bjop.12440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Corradi et al. (British Journal of Psychology, 2019) argue that their new conception of visual aesthetic sensitivity (as responsiveness to aesthetic features in one's preferences) presents several advantages in comparison with the current ability view of aesthetic sensitivity, usually defined as the ability to judge aesthetic stimuli in accordance with standards (The Journal of Psychology, 1964, 57 and 49). Although the measure they propose is interesting and presents advances to the field, we point to important issues. Notably, the authors conveniently base their comparison between the two conceptions on psychometric double standards, discard a century of research on aesthetic sensitivity by focusing on Eysenck's speculations, and disguise an extension of already existing aesthetic preference tests (e.g., The Journal of Psychology, 1952, 33 and 199; Empirical Studies of the Arts, 2005, 23 and 165) as a redefinition of aesthetic sensitivity. We conclude that both aesthetic preference and aesthetic sensitivity research are legitimate objects of study, that the authors present interesting ideas to further the study of aesthetic preferences, but that their approach is not new and that its proposed renaming only adds confusion to the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Myszkowski
- Department of Psychology, Pace University, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Pinar Çelik
- Department of Human Resources, Organization and Labor Economics, Solvay Business School, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Martin Storme
- Department of People, Organizations and Negotiation, IESEG School of Management, Lille, France.,LEM-CNRS 9221, Lille, France
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31
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Corradi G, Belman M, Currò T, Chuquichambi EG, Rey C, Nadal M. Aesthetic sensitivity to curvature in real objects and abstract designs. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2019; 197:124-130. [PMID: 31146089 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2019.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Revised: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The features of objects have a strong influence on how we evaluate, judge, approach, and behave toward them. People generally prefer complex, symmetric, balanced and curved designs. In addition to these general trends, however, there are substantial differences among people in what they like and prefer, and in the extent to which their preferences and choices are modulated by design features. Here we aimed to determine whether curvature in real objects and abstract designs influenced participants' preference to the same extent. We found that, in general, participants prefer real objects and abstract designs with curved contours. But we also uncovered a remarkable breadth of variation in individual preferences. Finally, our results show that people who are highly sensitive to curvature in real objects are also highly sensitive to curvature in abstract designs, and that people who are insensitive to curvature in one kind of stimulus are also insensitive to the other.
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