Imagining How Lines Were Drawn: The Appreciation of Calligraphy and the Facilitative Factor Based on the Viewer’s Rating and Heart Rate

Abstract

For this study, we examined how recognizing the writing process of calligraphy influences the cognitive and affective processes related to appreciating it, with the aim of contributing to both graphonomics and the psychology of aesthetics. To this end, we conducted two Web-based experiments in which some participants were instructed to view calligraphy by tracing it with their eyes (the tracing method), while others were told to feel free to think and imagine whatever they wanted. Study 1 (N = 103) revealed that the tracing method elicits stronger admiration, inspiration, and empathy in viewers. Study 2 (N = 87) showed that the tracing method decreases the average heart rate of those who do not frequently engage in calligraphy appreciation as they gaze at calligraphy for a minute-and-a-half (during the second half of the stimulus duration); this suggests that the tracing method could keep viewers from becoming bored while looking at calligraphy. In sum, the tracing method has positive effects on viewing calligraphy. From a broader perspective, the results imply that how in detail viewers recognize the process of creating an artwork will be a key determinant of art appreciation. In addition, our findings demonstrate how we can measure cardiac activities using the emerging technology of the photoplethysmogram (PPG).

Interaction between creation and appreciation: How linguistic art creation impacts the aesthetic evaluation of haiku poetry and ink paintings

“…The first finding revealed that the presence or absence of creation did not influence later evaluation, which may be attributed to the difference in art genres. Prior studies have suggested that tracing the creative process, rather than the creation itself, influences subsequent evaluation (Matsumoto & Okada, 2021a, 2021b). In other words, it is believed that all Japanese have experienced creating haiku (Uesaka & Koushima, 2013) and that it is possible to trace its creative process without having created it before.…”

“…Prior studies have suggested that tracing the creative process, rather than the creation itself, in uences subsequent evaluation. [10,20] In other words, it is believed that all Japanese have experienced creating haiku and that it is possible to trace its creative process without having created it before. Considering that linguistic art, especially haiku, relies on mental images (Hitsuwari & Nomura, 2022a), it would be easier to trace the creative process even without actual objects in this type of art form than in the visual arts.…”

“…This tendency to favour appreciation is not limited to haiku but is prevalent in the domain of the psychology of aesthetics, on which there are fewer studies related to art of personal relevance, which are then incorporated or extended in the work, upon which superficial adjustments and finishing touches are finally applied. Although the Mirror Model can be applied to art experiences other than the visual arts, such as writing, photography, and music (Matsumoto & Okada, 2021b;Szubielska & Imbir, 2022;Tinio, 2013), scope for further research remains as no empirical study has been conducted focusing on the linguistic arts. Considering haiku, which is the subject of this study, the aesthetic experience begins with the perception of lower level aspects, such as the number of syllables and the rhythm of the haiku.…”