Like what you see: Generalization of social learning determines art appreciation

Yannick Boddez; Mathilde Descheemaeker; Gaetan Mertens; Astrid Truyts; Sander Van de Cruys

doi:10.1016/j.actpsy.2019.04.001

Like what you see: Generalization of social learning determines art appreciation

Yannick Boddez^*, Mathilde Descheemaeker, Gaetan Mertens, Astrid Truyts, Sander Van de Cruys

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

Abstract

We examine whether a stimulus generalization framework can provide insight in how experience shapes evaluative responses to artworks. Participants received positive information about one artwork and negative information about another artwork. Afterwards, we tested their evaluative responses not only to these artworks but also to similar artworks, which allowed us to assess generalization. Results showed that the artwork that was paired with positive information and the artwork that was similar to it were evaluated more positively than the other artworks. These findings confirm that theories that aim to explain art appreciation could benefit from taking learning and its generalization into account.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	18-25
Number of pages	8
Journal	Acta Psychologica
Volume	196
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2019.04.001
Publication status	Published - May 2019
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Art
Aesthetic preference
Evaluative learning
Generalization
Evaluative priming
STIMULUS-GENERALIZATION
AUTOMATIC ACTIVATION
MODEL
INSTRUCTIONS
PREFERENCES
INFORMATION
ACQUISITION
PERSUASION
SCIENCE
ACCOUNT

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10.1016/j.actpsy.2019.04.001

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title = "Like what you see: Generalization of social learning determines art appreciation",

abstract = "We examine whether a stimulus generalization framework can provide insight in how experience shapes evaluative responses to artworks. Participants received positive information about one artwork and negative information about another artwork. Afterwards, we tested their evaluative responses not only to these artworks but also to similar artworks, which allowed us to assess generalization. Results showed that the artwork that was paired with positive information and the artwork that was similar to it were evaluated more positively than the other artworks. These findings confirm that theories that aim to explain art appreciation could benefit from taking learning and its generalization into account.",

keywords = "Art, Aesthetic preference, Evaluative learning, Generalization, Evaluative priming, STIMULUS-GENERALIZATION, AUTOMATIC ACTIVATION, MODEL, INSTRUCTIONS, PREFERENCES, INFORMATION, ACQUISITION, PERSUASION, SCIENCE, ACCOUNT",

author = "Yannick Boddez and Mathilde Descheemaeker and Gaetan Mertens and Astrid Truyts and {Van de Cruys}, Sander",

year = "2019",

month = may,

doi = "10.1016/j.actpsy.2019.04.001",

language = "English",

volume = "196",

pages = "18--25",

journal = "Acta Psychologica",

issn = "0001-6918",

publisher = "Elsevier Science BV",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Like what you see

T2 - Generalization of social learning determines art appreciation

AU - Boddez, Yannick

AU - Descheemaeker, Mathilde

AU - Mertens, Gaetan

AU - Truyts, Astrid

AU - Van de Cruys, Sander

PY - 2019/5

Y1 - 2019/5

N2 - We examine whether a stimulus generalization framework can provide insight in how experience shapes evaluative responses to artworks. Participants received positive information about one artwork and negative information about another artwork. Afterwards, we tested their evaluative responses not only to these artworks but also to similar artworks, which allowed us to assess generalization. Results showed that the artwork that was paired with positive information and the artwork that was similar to it were evaluated more positively than the other artworks. These findings confirm that theories that aim to explain art appreciation could benefit from taking learning and its generalization into account.

AB - We examine whether a stimulus generalization framework can provide insight in how experience shapes evaluative responses to artworks. Participants received positive information about one artwork and negative information about another artwork. Afterwards, we tested their evaluative responses not only to these artworks but also to similar artworks, which allowed us to assess generalization. Results showed that the artwork that was paired with positive information and the artwork that was similar to it were evaluated more positively than the other artworks. These findings confirm that theories that aim to explain art appreciation could benefit from taking learning and its generalization into account.

KW - Art

KW - Aesthetic preference

KW - Evaluative learning

KW - Generalization

KW - Evaluative priming

KW - STIMULUS-GENERALIZATION

KW - AUTOMATIC ACTIVATION

KW - MODEL

KW - INSTRUCTIONS

KW - PREFERENCES

KW - INFORMATION

KW - ACQUISITION

KW - PERSUASION

KW - SCIENCE

KW - ACCOUNT

U2 - 10.1016/j.actpsy.2019.04.001

DO - 10.1016/j.actpsy.2019.04.001

M3 - Article

SN - 0001-6918

VL - 196

SP - 18

EP - 25

JO - Acta Psychologica

JF - Acta Psychologica

ER -

Like what you see: Generalization of social learning determines art appreciation

Abstract

Keywords

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