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to reconcile the two models to provide more cover than either can alone (North and
Hargreaves
2000
, Whitfield
2000
).
10.3.3 Empirical Studies of Human Aesthetics
Along with unifying theories such as those offered by Arnheim, Berlyne, and Mar-
tindale, the field of psychology offers a vast catalogue of very specific findings from
experimental aesthetics. It is difficult in aesthetics research to identify and control
the myriad factors that may influence hedonic response. And because human sub-
jects are typically required it is difficult to achieve large sample sizes. Nevertheless
empirical studies of human aesthetics seem to be on the increase, and many are
highly suggestive and worth consideration by those interested in computational aes-
thetic evaluation.
Empirical studies of human aesthetics usually focus on viewers, artists, or ob-
jects. Studies of viewers have to account for audiences that are expert and not. Some
experiments focus on the impact setting has on aesthetic perception. Others are at-
tempts to correlate aesthetic response with social or personality factors. Studies of
artists usually focus on aspects of divergent thinking, creativity, and self-critical
abilities. Studies of objects typically include some form of analysis relative to a
hypothesised aesthetic mechanism.
A full or even representative cataloguing of these studies is unfortunately well
outside of the scope of this chapter. What stands out in reading the literature though
is the large number of variables that determine or shade human aesthetic experience.
For example:
•
Subjects first asked to think about the distant future are more likely to accept
unconventional works as art than those who first think about their near future
(Schimmel and Forster
2008
).
•
A hedonic contrast effect has been established in music listening. In absolute
terms the same music will be evaluated more positively if preceded by bad music,
and less positively if preceded by good music (Parker et al.
2008
).
•
Not all emotions lend themselves to musical expression. Those that do tend to be
general, mood based, and don't require causal understanding (Collier
2002
).
•
Individual preference differences can form on the basis of experience. Relative
to non-professionals, photo professionals exhibit a greater ability to process pho-
tographic information, and show a relative preference for photographs that are
uncertain and unfamiliar (Axelsson
2007
).
•
Artists and non-artists were presented with a sequence of 22 work-in-process
images leading to Matisse's 1935 painting,
Large Reclining Nude
. Non-artists
judged the painting as getting generally worse over time consistent with the in-
creasing abstraction of the image. In contrast, art students' judgements showed a
jagged trajectory with several peaks suggesting an interactive hypothesis-testing
process (Kozbelt
2006
).
