Beauty Is, Mostly, in the Eye of the Beholder
A new analysis finds a few widely shared aesthetic preferences, and a whole lot of individual and cultural variation.
Browsing Tag
Aesthetics
18 posts
What Makes a Poem Really Pop?
New research suggests vivid imagery is key to poetry's aesthetic appeal.
You May Be a Musician and Not Even Know It
New research finds a link between personality and musical ability.
Art Museums Foster an Appreciation for Ambiguity
New research from Vienna finds viewing artworks in a museum enhances the aesthetic experience.
Artists Working Solo Create the Finest Work—or So We Believe
New research suggests we consider the amount of effort that goes into making a work of art when we're evaluating it—and take off points for collaborations.
Eccentricity of Artists Boosts Appreciation of Their Art
From Vincent Van Gogh to Lady Gaga, we tend to like artists’ work more if we perceive them as idiosyncratic.
Mapping the Brain’s Response to Art
New research finds a brain network linked to solitary introspection gets switched on when we encounter particularly moving artworks.
Bored by Botticelli? Hook Up the Electrodes
New research finds stimulating a specific part of the brain can increase appreciation of certain types of art.
Every Baby’s a Critic: Tots Drawn to Complex Art
New research suggests some of our aesthetic preferences emerge by the time we're eight months old.
Portraits Can Get Your Pulse Pounding
New research recording physiological reactions of museum-goers suggests we respond to art with our bodies as well as our brains.