Aesthetics

Question 1

Aesthesis

Answer 1

Sensory perception, sensory knowledge

Question 2

Aesthetic experience

Answer 2

Artwork> perceptual analysis > explicit classification > cognitive mastering > evaluation > aesthetic judgement (continuous affective evaluation)

Question 3

Aesthetics relate to other topics like…

Answer 3

Emotion, attention/memory, cognitive load, engagement and motivation

Question 4

Aesthetic experience defintion

Answer 4

Pleasure attained from sensory perception - in itself - during an experience of any kind with an artwork, product, landscape

Question 5

Aesthetic product experience

Answer 5

Influenced by form aspects of the product. It has been found that certain form factors consistently influence the human pleasure experience

Question 6

Pleasure of different senses

Answer 6

Visual sense

Auditory sense

Tactile sense

Question 7

Evolutionary psychology perspective for aesthetic phenomenon

Answer 7

Adaptation (survive and reproduce) - species need to adapt to new and challenging situations.
Patterns or features that are associated with successful adaptations and solutions to challenges are reinforced because they guide is towards survival

By product hypothesis: aesthetic pleasure is a byproduct of some evolutionary adaptive function (were advantageous in the past without us being aware)

Question 8

Adaptive function of the senses: purpose of attention and perception

Answer 8

Detect properties that inform approach actions enhancing survival

Eg: visual system: navigation and object identification: we like to look at things that support action, navigation and/or identification - most useful objects are deemed “pleasant”

Eg 2s olfactory and taste: we like to taste/smell things that afford survival and reproduction

Question 9

Relation between aesthetics and usability

Answer 9

Aesthetic quality can make engineering products more readily acceptable

• marketing instrument: when entering a market full of visually attractive products you cannot permit to look old fashioned
• signal status (group identification)

Question 10

Aesthetic-usability effect

Answer 10

Attractive products are expected to be easier to use, perceived to be so, and are tolerated more faults

Question 11

Relationship between aesthetics and facial features (averageness, symmetry, skin) physical attractiveness increases:

Answer 11

• perceived trust
• perceived expertise
• liking for the communicator

Question 12

Attractiveness in NMD

Answer 12

• attractive characters in a game
• ## attractive sales people

Question 13

Empirical approaches study of aesthetics

Answer 13

Experimental approach (manipulate features/isolated elements eg colors) goal: general laws of beauty such as golden circle

Exploratory approach: present a lot of stimuli and ask to evaluate - characterize these - factor analysis: determine latent variables

Computational approach (automated methods, AI, machine learning)

Question 14

How can you measure aesthetic experience (pleasure)

Answer 14

• explicit verbal measures (attractiveness, beauty, pleasantness, liking, preference, aesthetic effects)
• implicit measures (eye-tracking, reaction time tasks, functional MRI/EEG)

Question 15

Neuroaesthetics

Answer 15

Use neuro imaging techniques to measure brain activity that correlates to aesthetic pleasure

Question 16

General principle of aesthetic pleasures (4)

Answer 16

Principle 1: maximum effect for minimal means (pleasing when simple designs provide rich info - we want to reduce cognitive load so easy to identify) eg. Impressionism and metaphor

Principle 2: unity im variety (we like patterns in variety, in a controlled way) Gestalt principles: rules of perceptual organization

Principle 3: most advanced, yet acceptable (MAYA) - two conflicting desires: preference for familiarity (safe choice), preference for novelty (learning new things) - joint effects of the two = MAYA

Principle 4: optimal match - consistency of impressions of senses: easier to identify therefore it is pleasing, inconsistency is confusing and not effective - some surprise may be sometimes pleasing (maya)

Question 17

Limitations of the aesthetic principles (2)

Answer 17

• not a comprehensive list

- can’t predict personal/individual taste and aesthetic agreement