Page 37 - Studio International - October 1972

for a longer period of time than introverts, who yet experimented with this fascinating idea.
are chronically aroused anyway. In order to Experimental aesthetics is still in its infancy,
investigate the role of personality more closely, so it is not unexpected to find in a recent text the
an experiment is being conducted at present by statement that experimental psychological
myself and Hans Eysenck on the relationship studies of art 'are seldom startling and their
between colour preferences and personality; the interpretation is often problematic', but the
hypothesis is that persons high on extraversion author goes on, 'few will wish to philosophize
will be more likely to choose colours that are about art in ignorance of them' (Sparshott,
arousing than will introverts. A representative 1963). Clearly, only time and continued effort
sample of chips from the Munsell Colour File on the part of investigators will help to clarify
are presented to subjects in blocks, in conditions the position. q
of uniform illumination, and they are required
Bibliography and recommended
to rank order them in terms of their preferences. further reading
It will be interesting to relate the results to
For a history of experimental work up to 1899 a
Wilson's psycho-physiological findings. comprehensive account is given by J. Larguier
Using a slightly different line of inquiry, des Bancels in his article entitled 'Les Méthodes
Daniel Berlyne, Professor of Psychology at the de l'Esthétique Experimentale' which appeared in
L' Annie Psychologique (1899) pp 144-190. Thomas
University of Toronto, has employed three Munro reviews the field as far as 1951 in his article
measures to investigate people's responses to `Aesthetics as Science: Its Development in America'
aesthetic objects: verbal reports, which was published in The Journal of Aesthetics and
Art Criticism (1951) Vol. IX pp 161-207. The most
psycho-physiological indices, and estimates of recent critique of the literature on experimental
overt exploratory behaviour, i.e. the activity aesthetics is to be found in a book by Leonard Zusne
where an individual will seek out a particular `Visual Perception of Form', London: Academic
Press, 1970; see especially pp 396-405. The book has a
situation or stimulus — the aesthetic object in this superlative bibliography covering most of the
case. He used patterns as stimuli which were extant literature.
Two examples of eye movements (from Yarbus)
considered to be identical with some of the
recorded during free examination of photographs with
factors that underly form, structure or both eyes for several minutes. See also Noton and
composition in works of art. The patterns Stark reference for a full description of this technique
consisted of pairs grouped in categories each
Books
of which represented a particular variable, orientation) would express an aversion to highly
Berlyne, D. E. 'Conflict, Arousal, and Curiosity'.
connoted by terms like : complexity, irregularity complex and abstract works. The proposition McGraw-Hill. London, 1960.
and incongruity. In this series of experiments was that a general fear of uncertainty is the Dessoir, M. 'Aesthetik und allgemeine
Kunstwissenschaft'. Enke. Stuttgart, 1906.
the techniques adopted by Berlyne psychological variable which accounts for the
Eysenck, H. J. 'Sense and Nonsense in Psychology:'
consisted of: (I) timing how long a subject organization of social attitudes along a general Ch. 8. The Psychology of Aesthetics, pp 308-340.
would look at each pattern, presented factor of liberalism-conservatism. Four groups Penguin. London, 1957.
Hogg, J. (Ed.). 'Psychology and the Visual Arts :
singly or in pairs; (2) counting the number of of paintings were used, labelled simple
Selected Readings'. Penguin. London, 1969.
exposures he would allow himself for each representational (SR), simple-abstract (SA), (Especially articles by Munro, Hogg, Berlyne, Noll,
pattern; and (3) looking at what happens when a complex-representational (CR) and Osgood et al. and Lansdell.)
subject is given free choice of pattern he may complex-abstract (CA), together with an Gibson, J. J. 'The Perception of the Visual World'.
Houghton Mifflin. New York, 1950.
expose himself to. inventory of social attitudes. The findings Graves, M. 'The Art of Colour and Design'.
Berlyne's findings throw light on people's provided strong support to the hypothesis in McGraw-Hill. New York, 1941.
motivations in relation to looking at aesthetic that extreme conservative scorers preferred SR Munro, T. 'Toward Science in Aesthetics'. Liberal
Arts Press. New York, 1956.
objects. Essentially he found his subjects sought paintings and disliked CR and CA works, Summer, R. 'Personal Space: The Behavioural Basis
out patterns judged pleasing, beautiful, or whereas liberals preferred the most complex and of Design'. Prentice-Hall. New Jersey, 1969.
Sparshott, F. E. 'The Structure of Aesthetics'.
interesting; when a pattern was rated as more abstract paintings. These results lend support to
Routledge and Kegan Paul. London, 1963.
pleasing, the less arousing it was shown to be the theoretical notion that conservatives Valentine, C. W. 'Introduction to the Experimental
(brain wave desynchronization was used as an represent a reaction against uncertainty, either Psychology of Beauty'. Methuen. London, 1962.
indicator of this). Apparently, those who took in terms of alternatives offered in choice Articles
part in the experiment avoided any pattern with situations or merely complexity and ambiguity Eysenck, H. J. 'An Application of the Maitland
discomforting or puzzling properties, i.e. those in their surroundings. Graves Design Judgement Test to Professional
that produced a steep rise in arousal. As for The studies reported by no means represent Artists'. Percept. mot. Skills, 1970, 30, 589-590.
Eysenck, H. J. and Castle, M. 'Training in Art as a
subjects who chose patterns that were considered all the important present and potential Factor in the Determination of Preference Judgements
to be maximally interesting (included in this approaches to the experimental investigation of for Polygons'. Br. J. Psychol., 1970, 61, 65-81.
Eysenck, J. H. and Castle, M. 'Comparative Study of
category were novel, surprising, ambiguous, aesthetic phenomena. For example, there was no
Artists and Non-Artists on the Maitland Graves
problem-raising or otherwise conflict-inducing mention of the important contribution Design Judgement Test'. J. of Applied Psychol, 1971,
patterns), Berlyne claims this kind of curiosity `information theory' has made to the study of 55, 389-392.
Eysenck, H. J. and Iwawaki, S. 'Cultural Relativity
(cf. that for beautiful or pleasing patterns) various visual forms by providing the
in Aesthetic Judgements: An Empirical Study'.
plays a part when a work of art is approached techniques whereby 'information' contained in Percept. mot Skills, 1971, 32,817-818.
as a source of knowledge or a spur to intellectual aesthetic objects can be assessed with precision; Gordon, D. A. 'Experimental Psychology and
Modern Painting'. J. Aesth. Art Crit., 1951,9,
exertion, as in the historical novel. nor was anything said about the use of
227-243.
Even social attitudes have been studied in electro-oculography (ECG) which enables McWhinnie, H. J. 'Is Psychology Relevant to
relation to aesthetic judgements. In a paper to be accurate recording of eye movements during Aesthetics ?' Proc. 79th Ann. Cony. APA 1971.
published shortly on relating conservatism to art visual scans of objects, pictures, etc. It is even Nourse, J. C. and Welch, R. B. 'Emotional Attributes
of Colour: A Comparison of Violet and Green'.
preferences, Glenn Wilson and his co-workers possible for a person with the aid of this Percept. mot. Skills., 1971, 32, 403-406.
hypothesized that conservative individuals technique to draw with his eyes, thereby Sandle, D. 'The Science of Art'. Science J., 1967,3,
8o-85.
(i.e. those characterized by ethnocentrism, eliminating the need to use one's hands.
Wilson, G. D. 'Arousal Properties of Red versus
anti-hedonistic outlook, right-wing political Surprisingly, no-one to my knowledge has Green'. Percept. mot. Skills, 1966, 23, 947- 949.
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