Why and How Should Cognitive Science Care about Aesthetics?
نویسندگان
چکیده
For more than two millennia, theoretical reflections on aesthetic perception and the creation of aesthetically appealing objects have been an important domain humanist scholarship.Empirical aesthetics complements this tradition by adopting scientific methodology providing evidence-based, reproducible answers to both longstanding recently arisen questions.While empirical has largely remained marginal since its foundation Fechner in mid-19th century, it is now about be broadly acknowledged as subfield research. Empirical found way into mainstream cognitive science. Until now, most research focused either identifying internal processes that underlie a perceiver’s experience or stimulus features lead specific type experience. To progress, must integrate these approaches unified paradigm encourages researchers think terms temporal dynamics interactions between: (i) perceiver; (ii) different systems within (iii) layers stimulus. At critical moment, also clearly identify define key concepts, sketch out agenda, specify approach grow coherent distinct discipline. Aesthetic processing profound impact our everyday lives. It influences choices regarding romantic partners, where we wish live, how dress, which surround ourselves with, activities pursue leisure time [1.Little A.C. et al.Facial attractiveness: evolutionary based research.Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. Ser. B Biol. Sci. 2011; 366: 1638-1659Crossref PubMed Scopus (482) Google Scholar, 2.Ritterfeld U. Cupchik G.C. Perceptions interiors spaces.J. Environ. Psychol. 1996; 16: 349-360Crossref (23) 3.Reimann M. al.Aesthetic package design: behavioral, neural, psychological investigation.J. Consum. 2010; 20: 431-441Crossref (263) 4.McManus I.C. Furnham A. attitudes: education, background personality interest involvement arts.Br. J. 2006; 97: 555-587Crossref (114) Scholar]. considerations affect health, productivity, learning, participation cultural positively related wellbeing [5.Coburn al.Buildings, beauty, brain: neuroscience architectural experience.J. Cogn. Neurosci. 2017; 29: 1521-1531Crossref (58) 6.Seresinhe C.I. al.Quantifying scenic environments health.Sci. Rep. 2015; 5: 16899Crossref (61) 7.Haluza D. al.Green perspectives for public health: narrative review physiological effects experiencing outdoor nature.Int. Res. Public Health. 2014; 11: 5445-5461Crossref (130) 8.Fancourt al.Cultural engagement reserve: museum attendance dementia incidence over 10-year period.Br. Psychiatry. 2018; 213: 661-663Crossref (37) 9.Mastandrea S. al.Art well-being: linking brain emotion.Front. 2019; 10: 739Crossref (28) The desire recognize principles underlying played dominant role history human thought, particularly Western philosophical tradition. By contrast, – first advocated century psychology [10.Fechner G.T. Vorschule der Ästhetik [Preliminaries Aesthetics]. Breitkopf und Härtel, 1876Google Scholar] later Berlyne [11.Berlyne D.E. Aesthetics Psychobiology. Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1971Google not any major, sustained representation at universities are only verge becoming accepted field neurosciences. Over past decades, propelled strongly advances neuroscientific methods, giving rise neuroaesthetics (pioneering studies include [12.Blood A.J. al.Emotional responses pleasant unpleasant music correlate with activity paralimbic regions.Nat. 1999; 2: 382-387Crossref (729) 13.Kawabata H. Zeki Neural correlates beauty.J. Neurophysiol. 2004; 91: 1699-1705Crossref (553) 14.Jacobsen T. al.Brain judgment beauty.Neuroimage. 276-285Crossref (402) Scholar]; reviews see [15.Pearce M.T. al.Neuroaesthetics: experience.Perspect. 2016; 265-279Crossref (111) Scholar,16.Chatterjee Vartanian O. Neuroscience aesthetics.Ann. N. Y. Acad. 1369: 172-194Crossref Scholar]). use artworks provided insights general functioning, including reward, motor control, neuroplasticity, embodiment [17.Zatorre Music, food neuroscience?.Nature. 2005; 434: 312-315Crossref (203) Scholar,18.Freedberg Gallese V. Motion, emotion empathy esthetic experience.Trends 2007; 197-203Abstract Full Text PDF (585) same time, there overall little agreement conceptualization field, identification definition methodological framework future advancement. What actually agenda what main goals aesthetics? Does need novel constructs describe phenomena? characterizes experiences (see Glossary)? Why study them, how? This programmatic opinion article aims provide conceptual clarity, road map, integration broader picture academic landscape. From anthropological perspective, ability create artful decorations well defining feature species, along complex symbolic communication systems, formation societies, manufacture tools [19.Dissanayake E. Homo Aestheticus: Where Art Comes Why. Free Press, 1992Google 20.Ingold Perception Environment: Essays Livelihood, Dwelling Skill. Routledge, 2000Crossref 21.McBrearty Brooks A.S. revolution wasn’t: new interpretation origin modern behavior.J. Hum. Evol. 2000; 39: 453-563Crossref (1700) 22.Wadley L. al.Implications cognition from hafting compound adhesives Middle Stone Age, South Africa.Proc. Natl. 2009; 106: 9590-9594Crossref (305) 23.d’Errico F. Stringer C.B. Evolution, saltation scenario emergence cultures?.Philos. 1060-1069Crossref (194) remains subject debate, however, age ability, potential continuity animal behaviors [23.d’Errico 24.Ravignani Cook P.F. biology dance without frills.Curr. 26: 878-879Abstract (19) 25.Prum R.O. Coevolutionary biotic artworlds.Biol. Philos. 2013; 28: 811-832Crossref (22) According current state knowledge, oldest cave paintings produced species date back 44 000 years [26.Aubert al.Earliest hunting scene prehistoric art.Nature. 576: 442-445Crossref (68) Scholar], musical instruments 40 [27.Conard N.J. al.New flutes document earliest southwestern Germany.Nature. 460: 737-740Crossref (269) body ornaments 100 [28.Henshilwood C.S. al.A 100,000-year-old ochre-processing workshop Blombos Cave, Africa.Science. 334: 219-222Crossref (351) Scholar,29.Vanhaeren al.Thinking strings: additional evidence personal ornament Age Africa.J. 64: 500-517Crossref (151) Additionally, archeological records elaborate objects, such engravings arms vessels, do modify functional purpose given tool [30.Henshilwood al.An abstract drawing 73,000-year-old levels Africa.Nature. 562: 115-118Crossref (96) Scholar,31.Joordens J.C. al.Homo erectus Trinil Java used shells production engraving.Nature. 518: 228-231Crossref (196) Finally, ethnological reported refined practices singing dancing across broad range older recent cultures [32.Mehr S.A. al.Form function song.Curr. 356-368Abstract (60) Scholar,33.Jacoby al.Universal non-universal pitch revealed singing.Curr. 3229-3243Abstract (32) In their entirety, data support assumption senses mind evolved able evaluate just bodies, movements, vocalizations conspecifics other animals, landscapes, natural events, but culturally performances (i.e., sensory perceptual qualities). Such evaluation occurs additionally to, sometimes regardless of, pragmatic functions (e.g., demonstration social status, mate choice, consolidation group cohesion) may serve, top inherent pleasure. First introduced Baumgarten 1735 [34.Baumgarten A.G. Reflections On Poetry: Alexander Gottlieb Baumgarten’s Meditationes Philosophicae de Nonnullis ad Poema Pertinentibus. University California 1735Google discipline ‘aesthetics’ became widely third branch philosophy complementing ‘theoretical’ ‘practical’ branches. Rather distinguishing true false statements moral amoral acts/attitudes, faculty was defined phenomenal appearance number qualitative dimensions ‘beautiful’, ‘sublime’, ‘grotesque’), special emphasis hedonic value qualities. Notwithstanding initially framing, meaning narrowed apply exclusively fine arts therein quality ‘beauty’. legacy development, still faced today, prevents accounting richness pervasiveness processing. arrive comprehensive understanding is, therefore, broaden perspective beyond institutionalized artistic contexts era, concert halls art galleries, stimulation creatures, phenomena. equally factors context might introduce. Thus, perennial question ever Aristotle’s Poetics [35.Aristotle Poetics. Hill & Wang, 1961Google why fascinated depiction decaying corpse painting display someone’s suffering stage, when would highly undesirable if encountered vivo. similar vein, appreciate nonidiomatic, ambiguous, difficult language poetry? enjoy emotional ups downs feature-length film? take pleasure uncertainty suspenseful narratives? These examples illustrate go far one dimension appreciation, capacities negative emotions enjoyable affective response. 2500 years, efforts made humanities questions. Unsurprisingly, scholars proposed competing contradictory explanations predictions. As result, offers abundance explanatory models testable hypotheses. holds promise predictions accurate drafting entirely informed latest functioning. does aim replace traditional disciplines facilitate collaboration between scientists, artists, scholars. literature can assigned major categories: subject-oriented stimulus-oriented approach, portrayed Boxes 1 2, respectively.Box 1Subject-Oriented ApproachThe primary goal elucidate cognitive, emotional, neurophysiological foundations experiences, structural organization brain, subjective feeling (over time), in, consequences for, less concerned elicits Rather, focuses triggered recipients. A prototypical example here art-elicited chills. Usually, participants asked chill-eliciting stimuli songs) own choosing [93.Salimpoor V.N. al.Anatomically dopamine release during anticipation peak music.Nat. 14: 257-262Crossref (875) 94.Sumpf al.Effects chills cardiac signature emotionality.PLoS One. 10e0130117Crossref (38) 95.Mas-Herrero al.Modulating reward sensitivity up down transcranial magnetic stimulation.Nat. Behav. 27-32Crossref (39) 96.Ferreri al.Dopamine modulates elicited music.Proc. 116: 3793-3798Crossref (87) Scholar].Figure I illustrates elementary building block set participant being exposed stimulus). One variable here, button presses chosen signal (B). Therein, frames (chill episodes) (vertical broken-lined rectangles) contrasted periods preceding chills, chills). further extended having multiple signals subjectively felt indicated presses, goosebumps measured objectively video-recording device).Examination neural moments reveals structures orchestrate [47.Wassiliwizky al.The power poetry: circuitry, psychophysiology compositional principles.Soc. Affect. 12: 1229-1240Crossref (79) Scholar,93.Salimpoor choreography interaction circuits [97.Salimpoor al.Interactions nucleus accumbens auditory cortices predict value.Science. 340: 216-219Crossref (340) Scholar,98.Sachs M.E. connectivity reflects music.Soc. 884-891Crossref (72) autonomic nervous system involved [94.Sumpf Scholar,99.Salimpoor rewarding aspects listening degree arousal.PLoS 4e7487Crossref (331) 100.Benedek Kaernbach C. Physiological specificity piloerection.Biol. 86: 320-329Crossref (103) 101.Wassiliwizky al.Tears falling goosebumps: co-occurrence lacrimation piloerection indicates psychophysiological climax arousal.Front. 8: 41Crossref (54) feel [101.Wassiliwizky Scholar,102.Zickfeld J.H. al.Kama muta: conceptualizing measuring often labelled moved 19 nations 15 languages.Emotion. 19: 402-424Crossref (55) Scholar].The search mechanisms complemented individual differences preferences systematic relation variables perceiver, dispositions, history, expertise, gender, educational/cultural background, biological differences. called ‘differential aesthetics’. Constructivist positions, discussed text, represent extreme version strand, calling interindividually shared properties lawful prediction individuals.Box 2Stimulus-Oriented elicitation part recipient. is: how, virtue properties, effect stimulus? An parallelistic patterning poetic repetitive structures; e.g., rhyme, meter) appreciation recited poems [103.Menninghaus W. powers diction.Poetics. 63: 47-59Crossref (43) Specifically, hypothesis predicted stepwise experimental removal original while maintaining semantic contents reduce liking poem versions. Note despite focus objective patterns), readily (average) rating participants, example.Stimulus-oriented also, analysis and/or historical data, case corpus instance. illustrate, [104.Menninghaus al.Poetic speech melody: crucial link language.PLoS 13e0205980Crossref (10) measure melodiousness developed (based autocorrelations sound sequences) applied classical poems. resulting values were then predictors likelihood professional composers subsequent times.The illustrated Figure I. object examination comprises distinctive Depending domain, will vary considerably, ranging measurable psychologically variables. Here, exemplary poem.Figure IStimulus-Oriented Approach.Show full captionThe five illustrative property (A). Social address designates text passages character directly addressing another direct speech). Word valence represents single words, indicated, instance, Berlin Affective List [105.Sylvester Children (kidBAWL): exploring lexical semantics visual modalities.Front. 7: 969Crossref (24) Self-similarity syllable-based index expressing (poetic) position relative words stanzas oscillogram parameters reciting voice; example, fundamental frequency F0 pitch). measures obtained perceivers (usually self-report ratings) incorporated (C). However, (B) list working Hence, (frames designated vertical examined compared passages. (D,E,F) stimulus-logged aggregated measures.View Large Image ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT) device). Examination individuals. parallelisti
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Aesthetics and Cognitive Science
Experiences of art involve exercise of ordinary cognitive and perceptual capacities but in unique ways. These two features of experiences of art imply the mutual importance of aesthetics and cognitive science. Cognitive science provides empirical and theoretical analysis of the relevant cognitive capacities. Aesthetics thus does well to incorporate cognitive scientific research. Aesthetics also...
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ژورنال
عنوان ژورنال: Trends in Cognitive Sciences
سال: 2021
ISSN: ['1364-6613', '1879-307X']
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2021.03.008