Abstract
Abstraction is valued and appreciated in the visual arts, yet abstraction in other forms of art, such as music, is rarely tolerated. What is at the root of the perception of art? For this study, a psychologist and musician collaborated to explore aspects and intersections of perception and appreciation. Participants were asked to provide separate ratings of beauty and creativity of a variety of artworks, based on the Pleasure-Interest Model of Aesthetic-Liking (PIA Model). Focus group participants were asked to discuss beauty, creativity, perception, and appreciation and explore opportunities for deeper-level processing and interpretation of the works within the study. Using both the PIA Model and a dual-process approach to understanding aesthetics, we can begin to discuss the root of aesthetic-liking among variety and complexity of abstract works and the influences on perception and appreciation. Data was collected from over 500 online survey participants, as well as a series of small focus groups, to explore this intersection and how we, the perceivers, appreciate, process, and aesthetically like abstraction.
Presenters
Holly SkillmanAssistant Professor, Psychological Science and Counseling, Marian University, Indiana, United States James Larner
Professor, Music and Humanities, Marian University, Indiana, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Psychology, Humanities, Perception, Appreciation, Aesthetics, Abstraction
