Is Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder or an Objective Truth? A Neuroscientific Answer

Aleem, Hassan; Pombo, Maria; Correa-Herran, Ivan; Grzywacz, Norberto M.

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-24326-5_11

Cited by 8 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…We thus may ask, to what “exaggerated” natural scenes was Milton referring to? Perhaps, Milton’s scenes would have some sort of exaggerated statistics related to attributes that were innate, that is, formed due to evolutionary pressures ( Aleem et al, 2019 ). Alternatively, according to the theoretical framework here, Milton’s scenes would have exaggerated sensory statistics related with positive experiences in his youth.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We discuss this philosophical question in greater detail elsewhere but touch on it briefly here to frame our work. In our earlier publication, we argue that one can think of universal aspects of preference as innate, formed due to evolutionary pressures ( Aleem et al, 2019 ). Examples include preferences for round contours, symmetry, and contrast.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Theoretical Framework for How We Learn Aesthetic Values

Aleem

Correa-Herran

Grzywacz

2020

Front. Hum. Neurosci.

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How do we come to like the things that we do? Each one of us starts from a relatively similar state at birth, yet we end up with vastly different sets of aesthetic preferences. These preferences go on to define us both as individuals and as members of our cultures. Therefore, it is important to understand how aesthetic preferences form over our lifetimes. This poses a challenging problem: to understand this process, one must account for the many factors at play in the formation of aesthetic values and how these factors influence each other over time. A general framework based on basic neuroscientific principles that can also account for this process is needed. Here, we present such a framework and illustrate it through a model that accounts for the trajectories of aesthetic values over time. Our framework is inspired by meta-analytic data of neuroimaging studies of aesthetic appraisal. This framework incorporates effects of sensory inputs, rewards, and motivational states. Crucially, each one of these effects is probabilistic. We model their interactions under a reinforcement-learning circuitry. Simulations of this model and mathematical analysis of the framework lead to three main findings. First, different people may develop distinct weighing of aesthetic variables because of individual variability in motivation. Second, individuals from different cultures and environments may develop different aesthetic values because of unique sensory inputs and social rewards. Third, because learning is stochastic, stemming from probabilistic sensory inputs, motivations, and rewards, aesthetic values vary in time. These three theoretical findings account for different lines of empirical research. Through our study, we hope to provide a general and unifying framework for understanding the various aspects involved in the formation of aesthetic values over time.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Theoretical Framework for How We Learn Aesthetic Values

Aleem

Correa-Herran

Grzywacz

2020

Front. Hum. Neurosci.

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“…We propose that the basic elements are the values associated with different instantiations of aesthetic variables by individual artists. In turn, the nonlinear interactions are due to mutual influence between artists learning from each other [7]. Finally, the changing external environment could exert social pressure to innovate and lead to cultural trends ([25]-for example, the desire for increasing realism during the Renaissance- [8]).…”

Section: Neuroaesthetic Variables Evolved Throughout the Renaissancementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such competition exists between complexity and balance [29]. Computer simulations with a new theory for the learning of aesthetic values suggest that learning under the influence of motivated behaviors may have a role in generating these competitions [7].…”

Section: What Explains the Unexpected Declines Of Balance And Complexitymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evolution of Neuroaesthetic Variables in Portrait Paintings throughout the Renaissance

Correa-Herran

Aleem

Grzywacz

2020

Entropy

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To compose art, artists rely on a set of sensory evaluations performed fluently by the brain. The outcome of these evaluations, which we call neuroaesthetic variables, helps to compose art with high aesthetic value. In this study, we probed whether these variables varied across art periods despite relatively unvaried neural function. We measured several neuroaesthetic variables in portrait paintings from the Early and High Renaissance, and from Mannerism. The variables included symmetry, balance, and contrast (chiaroscuro), as well as intensity and spatial complexities measured by two forms of normalized entropy. The results showed that the degree of symmetry remained relatively constant during the Renaissance. However, the balance of portraits decayed abruptly at the end of the Early Renaissance, that is, at the closing of the 15th century. Intensity and spatial complexities, and thus entropies, of portraits also fell in such manner around the same time. Our data also showed that the decline of complexity and entropy could be attributed to the rise of chiaroscuro. With few exceptions, the values of aesthetic variables from the top of artists of the Renaissance resembled those of their peers. We conclude that neuroaesthetic variables have flexibility to change in brains of artists (and observers).

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How aesthetic features convey the concept of brand premiumness

Pombo

Velasco

2021

Psychology and Marketing

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When do aesthetic properties convey the concept of premiumness? Is symmetry tied to the perception of premiumness due to symmetry's evolutionary association to quality, an association not present with other aesthetic features like curvature? Usually, symmetry and curvature are preferred features. However, preference itself may not suffice to evoke premiumness. With this in mind, we predicted that symmetry (vs. asymmetry) and high(vs. low) product quality would both increase the perception of premiumness of a product while curvature (curved vs. angular) would only do so when it aligned with product quality. We conducted two preliminary exploratory experiments and four preregistered experiments in which we manipulated product quality, symmetry, and curvature of product packaging and measured preference and premiumness perception. We also conducted four additional experiments using a different product category to assess the generalizability of our results. We found that while both symmetry and curvature affect preference, only symmetry affects premiumness perception. Importantly, our results indicate that the extent to which aesthetic features convey brand premiumness can be product‐specific. We suggest a theoretical model on when visual aesthetic properties convey premiumness. Overall, our study informs how subtle aesthetic elements play a role in value perception, something which firms can capitalize on.

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Is Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder or an Objective Truth? A Neuroscientific Answer

Cited by 8 publications

References 25 publications

A Theoretical Framework for How We Learn Aesthetic Values

A Theoretical Framework for How We Learn Aesthetic Values

Evolution of Neuroaesthetic Variables in Portrait Paintings throughout the Renaissance

How aesthetic features convey the concept of brand premiumness

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