2025
Kathofer, Maximilian; Lamm, Claus; Leder, Helmut; Crone, Julia Sophia
Aesthetic experiences across visual perception and mental imagery: behaviorally indistinguishable, neurally distinct Journal Article
In: iScience, pp. 112588, 2025, ISSN: 25890042.
@article{Kathofer2025_AestheticExperiencesVisual,
title = {Aesthetic experiences across visual perception and mental imagery: behaviorally indistinguishable, neurally distinct},
author = {Maximilian Kathofer and Claus Lamm and Helmut Leder and Julia Sophia Crone},
url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2589004225008491},
doi = {10.1016/j.isci.2025.112588},
issn = {25890042},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-05-01},
urldate = {2025-05-16},
journal = {iScience},
pages = {112588},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Trupp, MacKenzie D.; Howlin, Claire; Fekete, Anna; Kutsche, Julian; Fingerhut, Joerg; Pelowski, Matthew
The impact of viewing art on well-being—a systematic review of the evidence base and suggested mechanisms Journal Article
In: The Journal of Positive Psychology, pp. 1–25, 2025, ISSN: 1743-9760, 1743-9779.
@article{Trupp2025_ImpactViewingArt,
title = {The impact of viewing art on well-being—a systematic review of the evidence base and suggested mechanisms},
author = {MacKenzie D. Trupp and Claire Howlin and Anna Fekete and Julian Kutsche and Joerg Fingerhut and Matthew Pelowski},
url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17439760.2025.2481041},
doi = {10.1080/17439760.2025.2481041},
issn = {1743-9760, 1743-9779},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-04-01},
urldate = {2025-04-16},
journal = {The Journal of Positive Psychology},
pages = {1–25},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Kühnapfel, C.; Trupp, M.; Pelowski, M.; Fingerhut, J.
On the Impact of Public Art: How Engaging a Pedestrian-level Exhibition Improves Neighbourhood Connectedness and Well-being Journal Article
In: Wellbeing, Space and Society, pp. 100252, 2025, ISSN: 26665581.
@article{Kuhnapfel2025_ImpactPublicArt,
title = {On the Impact of Public Art: How Engaging a Pedestrian-level Exhibition Improves Neighbourhood Connectedness and Well-being},
author = {C. Kühnapfel and M. Trupp and M. Pelowski and J. Fingerhut},
url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2666558125000181},
doi = {10.1016/j.wss.2025.100252},
issn = {26665581},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-03-01},
urldate = {2025-03-20},
journal = {Wellbeing, Space and Society},
pages = {100252},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Mendhakar, Akshay; Płużyczka, Monika; Leder, Helmut
Effects of graphic organizers on aesthetic reading experience Journal Article
In: Frontiers in Language Sciences, vol. 4, pp. 1472429, 2025, ISSN: 2813-4605.
@article{Mendhakar2025_EffectsGraphicOrganizers,
title = {Effects of graphic organizers on aesthetic reading experience},
author = {Akshay Mendhakar and Monika Płużyczka and Helmut Leder},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/flang.2025.1472429/full},
doi = {10.3389/flang.2025.1472429},
issn = {2813-4605},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-03-01},
urldate = {2025-03-17},
journal = {Frontiers in Language Sciences},
volume = {4},
pages = {1472429},
abstract = {The aesthetics of reading have received relatively little research attention, particularly in the context of foreign language readers. In this study, we investigate the impact of text mining-powered graphic organizers (GOs) on aesthetic reading experience with English as a foreign language (EFL) readers. Shusterman's framework of aesthetics was applied to measure reading comprehension, experience, and literary beauty perception. A between-group experiment design (
N = 52) was conducted, where Norwegian students enrolled in the International Baccalaureate classes of Lillestrøm High School were recruited. Participants in the experimental condition interacted with GOs before reading the first three chapters of English versions of
Pride & Prejudice
, while those in the control condition solely read the same texts without interacting with GOs. A statistically significant enhancement in comprehension scores across all subdomains —summarization, vocabulary, and overall comprehension—was associated with the use of GOs. However, the introduction of GOs did not improve or hinder the reading experience or the perceived literary beauty of the text. These findings highlight the efficacy of automatically extracted GOs in improving specific aspects of the aesthetic reading experience. The implications of such findings for individual domains of reading aesthetics and foreign language readers are discussed.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The aesthetics of reading have received relatively little research attention, particularly in the context of foreign language readers. In this study, we investigate the impact of text mining-powered graphic organizers (GOs) on aesthetic reading experience with English as a foreign language (EFL) readers. Shusterman’s framework of aesthetics was applied to measure reading comprehension, experience, and literary beauty perception. A between-group experiment design (
N = 52) was conducted, where Norwegian students enrolled in the International Baccalaureate classes of Lillestrøm High School were recruited. Participants in the experimental condition interacted with GOs before reading the first three chapters of English versions of
Pride & Prejudice
, while those in the control condition solely read the same texts without interacting with GOs. A statistically significant enhancement in comprehension scores across all subdomains —summarization, vocabulary, and overall comprehension—was associated with the use of GOs. However, the introduction of GOs did not improve or hinder the reading experience or the perceived literary beauty of the text. These findings highlight the efficacy of automatically extracted GOs in improving specific aspects of the aesthetic reading experience. The implications of such findings for individual domains of reading aesthetics and foreign language readers are discussed.
N = 52) was conducted, where Norwegian students enrolled in the International Baccalaureate classes of Lillestrøm High School were recruited. Participants in the experimental condition interacted with GOs before reading the first three chapters of English versions of
Pride & Prejudice
, while those in the control condition solely read the same texts without interacting with GOs. A statistically significant enhancement in comprehension scores across all subdomains —summarization, vocabulary, and overall comprehension—was associated with the use of GOs. However, the introduction of GOs did not improve or hinder the reading experience or the perceived literary beauty of the text. These findings highlight the efficacy of automatically extracted GOs in improving specific aspects of the aesthetic reading experience. The implications of such findings for individual domains of reading aesthetics and foreign language readers are discussed.
Jonauskaite, Domicele; Gierlinger, Nina; Geiger, Klara; Busse, Claudia; Frick, Aline; Mohr, Christine; Leder, Helmut
Non-visual colour: A qualitative study of how the totally blind and an achromatope navigate colour in the sighted world Journal Article
In: Acta Psychologica, vol. 253, pp. 104682, 2025, ISSN: 00016918.
@article{jonauskaite_non-visual_2025,
title = {Non-visual colour: A qualitative study of how the totally blind and an achromatope navigate colour in the sighted world},
author = {Domicele Jonauskaite and Nina Gierlinger and Klara Geiger and Claudia Busse and Aline Frick and Christine Mohr and Helmut Leder},
url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0001691824005602},
doi = {10.1016/j.actpsy.2024.104682},
issn = {00016918},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-03-01},
urldate = {2025-01-21},
journal = {Acta Psychologica},
volume = {253},
pages = {104682},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Schmid, Franz Roman; Crone, Julia Sophia
A shift towards more precision: Addressing the profound implications of brain shift in model-based planning for ultrasonic brain stimulation Journal Article
In: Brain Stimulation, pp. S1935861X25000440, 2025, ISSN: 1935861X.
@article{schmid_shift_2025,
title = {A shift towards more precision: Addressing the profound implications of brain shift in model-based planning for ultrasonic brain stimulation},
author = {Franz Roman Schmid and Julia Sophia Crone},
url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1935861X25000440},
doi = {10.1016/j.brs.2025.02.013},
issn = {1935861X},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-02-01},
urldate = {2025-02-24},
journal = {Brain Stimulation},
pages = {S1935861X25000440},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Rambhoros, Mizan; Neutra, Raymond Richard; Cerarols, Rosa; Pelowski, Matthew
In: Frontiers in Built Environment, vol. 10, pp. 1504553, 2025, ISSN: 2297-3362.
@article{rambhoros_operationalising_2025,
title = {Operationalising “loveability”: an interdisciplinary approach to enriching quality of life experiences in cities through creative cultural spaces},
author = {Mizan Rambhoros and Raymond Richard Neutra and Rosa Cerarols and Matthew Pelowski},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2024.1504553/full},
doi = {10.3389/fbuil.2024.1504553},
issn = {2297-3362},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-01-01},
urldate = {2025-05-05},
journal = {Frontiers in Built Environment},
volume = {10},
pages = {1504553},
abstract = {Loveability represents an emerging answer for enriching urban quality of life. The idea prioritises city dwellers’ emotional connections with psycho-spatial aspects of cities, beyond mere infrastructure, functionality, or services (“liveability”), which may not fully support positive wellbeing, especially in European cities. However, due to shifting, largely theoretical definitions and arguments for an unquantifiable nature, questions remain as to how people themselves think and feel about loveability within actual urban spaces. Here, for the first time we assessed how people quantify loveability, within two creative cultural or “third places:” MuseumsQuartier Haupthof in Vienna, Austria and Plaça de Joan Coromines in Barcelona, Spain. Based on a literature review, we identified potential psychological and spatial aspects associated with loveability and created a survey administered on-site to participants (N = 244) recruited from among foot traffic in our study settings. Participants rated spaces for liveability and loveability in their general experience of the places, and then defined how they had rated the “loveability” aspect via the importance of 55-items. Participants considered both places as loveable and contributing to positive wellbeing. Exploratory Factor Analysis and multiple regression models led to 5 factors for each population that highlighted groupings of significant psychological versus spatial dimensions. The distribution pattern showed commonalities of mostly psychological (e.g., delight/fascination, community, restorative wellness) but fewer spatial (usage/functionality) aspects across both settings. Our findings demonstrate that loveability plays a role in serving individuals’ delight and wellbeing, and insights of “accessibility,” “inclusivity,” and “order” may inform urban planning strategies and placemaking.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Loveability represents an emerging answer for enriching urban quality of life. The idea prioritises city dwellers’ emotional connections with psycho-spatial aspects of cities, beyond mere infrastructure, functionality, or services (“liveability”), which may not fully support positive wellbeing, especially in European cities. However, due to shifting, largely theoretical definitions and arguments for an unquantifiable nature, questions remain as to how people themselves think and feel about loveability within actual urban spaces. Here, for the first time we assessed how people quantify loveability, within two creative cultural or “third places:” MuseumsQuartier Haupthof in Vienna, Austria and Plaça de Joan Coromines in Barcelona, Spain. Based on a literature review, we identified potential psychological and spatial aspects associated with loveability and created a survey administered on-site to participants (N = 244) recruited from among foot traffic in our study settings. Participants rated spaces for liveability and loveability in their general experience of the places, and then defined how they had rated the “loveability” aspect via the importance of 55-items. Participants considered both places as loveable and contributing to positive wellbeing. Exploratory Factor Analysis and multiple regression models led to 5 factors for each population that highlighted groupings of significant psychological versus spatial dimensions. The distribution pattern showed commonalities of mostly psychological (e.g., delight/fascination, community, restorative wellness) but fewer spatial (usage/functionality) aspects across both settings. Our findings demonstrate that loveability plays a role in serving individuals’ delight and wellbeing, and insights of “accessibility,” “inclusivity,” and “order” may inform urban planning strategies and placemaking.
2024
Rodriguez-Boerwinkle, Rebekah M.; Specker, Eva
Building Bridges: The Importance of Bringing Together the Empirical Sciences & the Humanities Journal Article
In: Itinera, no. 28, 2024, ISSN: 2039-9251.
@article{rodriguez-boerwinkle_building_2024,
title = {Building Bridges: The Importance of Bringing Together the Empirical Sciences & the Humanities},
author = {Rebekah M. Rodriguez-Boerwinkle and Eva Specker},
url = {https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/itinera/article/view/27833},
doi = {10.54103/2039-9251/27833},
issn = {2039-9251},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-12-01},
urldate = {2025-01-16},
journal = {Itinera},
number = {28},
abstract = {In the 21st century, where digital advancements change how we perceive art and aesthetics, there is a need to examine how empirical sciences and the humanities can collaboratively explore these complexities. This paper highlights the reciprocal relationship between these fields, arguing that a fusion of empirical methods and philosophical inquiry can lead to a more comprehensive understanding of aesthetics in the digital age. Empirical sciences bring robust tools for quantifying human experiences, yet they often reduce complex phenomena to measurable parts, potentially missing nuances captured by the humanities. Conversely, the humanities provide deep conceptual insights, but these can benefit from empirical grounding to enhance their applicability and relevance. This interdisciplinary approach is illustrated through the study of digital aesthetics, particularly focusing on the challenges of understanding art and aesthetics across varied human perceptions. Additionally, this paper explores the evolving concept of authorship in the digital age, complicated by AI-generated art and digital mediums. By bridging the strengths of both disciplines, the authors advocate for a more nuanced and evidence-based understanding of these contemporary issues, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in navigating the digital landscape's complexities.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
In the 21st century, where digital advancements change how we perceive art and aesthetics, there is a need to examine how empirical sciences and the humanities can collaboratively explore these complexities. This paper highlights the reciprocal relationship between these fields, arguing that a fusion of empirical methods and philosophical inquiry can lead to a more comprehensive understanding of aesthetics in the digital age. Empirical sciences bring robust tools for quantifying human experiences, yet they often reduce complex phenomena to measurable parts, potentially missing nuances captured by the humanities. Conversely, the humanities provide deep conceptual insights, but these can benefit from empirical grounding to enhance their applicability and relevance. This interdisciplinary approach is illustrated through the study of digital aesthetics, particularly focusing on the challenges of understanding art and aesthetics across varied human perceptions. Additionally, this paper explores the evolving concept of authorship in the digital age, complicated by AI-generated art and digital mediums. By bridging the strengths of both disciplines, the authors advocate for a more nuanced and evidence-based understanding of these contemporary issues, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in navigating the digital landscape’s complexities.
Dehove, Margot; Mikuni, Jan; Podolin, Nikita; Leder, Helmut; Oberzaucher, Elisabeth
The Impact of Urban art on Wellbeing: A Laboratory Study Journal Article
In: Empirical Studies of the Arts, pp. 02762374241298878, 2024, ISSN: 0276-2374.
@article{zotero-3806,
title = {The Impact of Urban art on Wellbeing: A Laboratory Study},
author = {Margot Dehove and Jan Mikuni and Nikita Podolin and Helmut Leder and Elisabeth Oberzaucher},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1177/02762374241298878},
doi = {10.1177/02762374241298878},
issn = {0276-2374},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-12-01},
journal = {Empirical Studies of the Arts},
pages = {02762374241298878},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Cabbai, Giulia; Kühnapfel, Corinna; Fingerhut, Joerg; Kaltwasser, Laura; Prinz, Jesse; Pelowski, Matthew
Emotion, embodiment, and aesthetic appraisal: The impact of interoceptive abilities and art type. Journal Article
In: Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 2024, ISSN: 1931-390X, 1931-3896.
@article{Cabbai2024_EmotionEmbodimentAesthetic,
title = {Emotion, embodiment, and aesthetic appraisal: The impact of interoceptive abilities and art type.},
author = {Giulia Cabbai and Corinna Kühnapfel and Joerg Fingerhut and Laura Kaltwasser and Jesse Prinz and Matthew Pelowski},
url = {https://doi.apa.org/doi/10.1037/aca0000716},
doi = {10.1037/aca0000716},
issn = {1931-390X, 1931-3896},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-12-01},
urldate = {2024-12-16},
journal = {Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Pelowski, Matthew; Cotter, Katherine N.; Miller, Stephanie; Leder, Helmut
Framing Wellbeing and Societal Challenge Mechanisms via Distinct Outcomes of Art Experience? A Brief Revisit to the VIMAP Journal Article
In: Physics of Life Reviews, pp. S1571064524001738, 2024, ISSN: 15710645.
@article{Pelowski2024_FramingWellbeingSocietal,
title = {Framing Wellbeing and Societal Challenge Mechanisms via Distinct Outcomes of Art Experience? A Brief Revisit to the VIMAP},
author = {Matthew Pelowski and Katherine N. Cotter and Stephanie Miller and Helmut Leder},
url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1571064524001738},
doi = {10.1016/j.plrev.2024.12.004},
issn = {15710645},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-12-01},
urldate = {2024-12-10},
journal = {Physics of Life Reviews},
pages = {S1571064524001738},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Dehove, Margot; Mikuni, Jan; Podolin, Nikita; Moser, Martin Karl; Resch, Bernd; Doerrzapf, Linda; Boehm, Pia Marlena; Prager, Katharina; Leder, Helmut; Oberzaucher, Elisabeth
Exploring the influence of urban art interventions on attraction and wellbeing: an empirical field experiment Journal Article
In: Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 15, pp. 1409086, 2024, ISSN: 1664-1078.
@article{dehove_exploring_2024,
title = {Exploring the influence of urban art interventions on attraction and wellbeing: an empirical field experiment},
author = {Margot Dehove and Jan Mikuni and Nikita Podolin and Martin Karl Moser and Bernd Resch and Linda Doerrzapf and Pia Marlena Boehm and Katharina Prager and Helmut Leder and Elisabeth Oberzaucher},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1409086/full},
doi = {10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1409086},
issn = {1664-1078},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-12-01},
urldate = {2024-12-06},
journal = {Frontiers in Psychology},
volume = {15},
pages = {1409086},
abstract = {While cities are attractive places, brimming with opportunities and possibilities for their inhabitants, they have also been found to have negative consequences, especially on physical and mental health. In a world of ever-growing urban populations, it is important to understand how to make cities healthier and more pleasant places to live. In the present study, we investigated the impact of art as an urban intervention and compared it to the well-known effects of greenery (i.e., plants and vegetation) in an identically framed intervention. Specifically, we looked at how people engage with a Graetzloase (a type of parklet) and its embedding urban environment in terms of visual and spatial attraction as well as wellbeing. The Graetzloase displayed either abstract art or greenery and was placed on two distinct streets that, among other elements, also contained art and greenery. Our field study captured the ongoing experiences during people’s exploration of the urban environment by employing mobile eye-trackers and physiological devices. While our findings demonstrated a certain level of visual and spatial attraction towards the Graetzloases, it was not as pronounced as initially anticipated. Nevertheless, our analyses still inform on
What
decorating element should be placed in a Graetzloase, as well as
Where
to implement the Graetzloase. Our results suggest that artistic elements are more visually attractive (i.e., they were looked at for longer times) than the greenery, and that both visual and spatial attraction towards the Graetzloases are greatly impacted by the street context. We found that the Art Graetzloase when displayed in a wide street containing greenery elements, is visually more present in the participant’s visual field than all the other experimental combinations. The more precise analyses of the participant viewing behavior confirm this trend. Regarding wellbeing, we found no evidence for the impact of street context or the types of decorations in the Graetzloases. Our results establish an initial empirical foundation for the design and placement of not only future parklets but also urban art interventions in general.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
While cities are attractive places, brimming with opportunities and possibilities for their inhabitants, they have also been found to have negative consequences, especially on physical and mental health. In a world of ever-growing urban populations, it is important to understand how to make cities healthier and more pleasant places to live. In the present study, we investigated the impact of art as an urban intervention and compared it to the well-known effects of greenery (i.e., plants and vegetation) in an identically framed intervention. Specifically, we looked at how people engage with a Graetzloase (a type of parklet) and its embedding urban environment in terms of visual and spatial attraction as well as wellbeing. The Graetzloase displayed either abstract art or greenery and was placed on two distinct streets that, among other elements, also contained art and greenery. Our field study captured the ongoing experiences during people’s exploration of the urban environment by employing mobile eye-trackers and physiological devices. While our findings demonstrated a certain level of visual and spatial attraction towards the Graetzloases, it was not as pronounced as initially anticipated. Nevertheless, our analyses still inform on
What
decorating element should be placed in a Graetzloase, as well as
Where
to implement the Graetzloase. Our results suggest that artistic elements are more visually attractive (i.e., they were looked at for longer times) than the greenery, and that both visual and spatial attraction towards the Graetzloases are greatly impacted by the street context. We found that the Art Graetzloase when displayed in a wide street containing greenery elements, is visually more present in the participant’s visual field than all the other experimental combinations. The more precise analyses of the participant viewing behavior confirm this trend. Regarding wellbeing, we found no evidence for the impact of street context or the types of decorations in the Graetzloases. Our results establish an initial empirical foundation for the design and placement of not only future parklets but also urban art interventions in general.
What
decorating element should be placed in a Graetzloase, as well as
Where
to implement the Graetzloase. Our results suggest that artistic elements are more visually attractive (i.e., they were looked at for longer times) than the greenery, and that both visual and spatial attraction towards the Graetzloases are greatly impacted by the street context. We found that the Art Graetzloase when displayed in a wide street containing greenery elements, is visually more present in the participant’s visual field than all the other experimental combinations. The more precise analyses of the participant viewing behavior confirm this trend. Regarding wellbeing, we found no evidence for the impact of street context or the types of decorations in the Graetzloases. Our results establish an initial empirical foundation for the design and placement of not only future parklets but also urban art interventions in general.
Miller, Stephanie; Cotter, Katherine N.; Fingerhut, Joerg; Leder, Helmut; Pelowski, Matthew
In: Empirical Studies of the Arts, pp. 02762374241292576, 2024, ISSN: 0276-2374, 1541-4493.
@article{miller_what_2024,
title = {What Can Happen When We Look at Art?: An Exploratory Network Model and Latent Profile Analysis of Affective/Cognitive Aspects Underlying Shared, Supraordinate Responses to Museum Visual Art},
author = {Stephanie Miller and Katherine N. Cotter and Joerg Fingerhut and Helmut Leder and Matthew Pelowski},
url = {https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/02762374241292576},
doi = {10.1177/02762374241292576},
issn = {0276-2374, 1541-4493},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-11-01},
urldate = {2024-11-01},
journal = {Empirical Studies of the Arts},
pages = {02762374241292576},
abstract = {Art-viewing is a defining component of society and culture, in part because the experience involves a wide-range and nuanced configuration of emotional and cognitive responses. Precisely because of this complexity, however, questions of the actual nature, scope, and variety of art experience remain largely unanswered: what kinds of patterns do we exhibit, how do various components go together, and can these be distilled into shared experiential outcomes? We introduce an exploratory study based on 345 individuals’ unique experiences with one of three sets of artworks. Experiences were assessed via 46 affective and cognitive items based on a recent model, with individuals reporting to what degree they felt each during their encounter. Network and latent profile analyses revealed five patterns, aligning to a Harmonious, Facile, Transformative, and two Negative outcomes. These largely supported model hypotheses, connected to specific appraisals, and could be found, although with varying probability, across individual viewers and artworks.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Art-viewing is a defining component of society and culture, in part because the experience involves a wide-range and nuanced configuration of emotional and cognitive responses. Precisely because of this complexity, however, questions of the actual nature, scope, and variety of art experience remain largely unanswered: what kinds of patterns do we exhibit, how do various components go together, and can these be distilled into shared experiential outcomes? We introduce an exploratory study based on 345 individuals’ unique experiences with one of three sets of artworks. Experiences were assessed via 46 affective and cognitive items based on a recent model, with individuals reporting to what degree they felt each during their encounter. Network and latent profile analyses revealed five patterns, aligning to a Harmonious, Facile, Transformative, and two Negative outcomes. These largely supported model hypotheses, connected to specific appraisals, and could be found, although with varying probability, across individual viewers and artworks.
Pizzolante, Marta; Pelowski, Matthew; Demmer, Theresa Rahel; Bartolotta, Sabrina; Sarcinella, Eleonora Diletta; Gaggioli, Andrea; Chirico, Alice
Aesthetic experiences and their transformative power: a systematic review Journal Article
In: Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 15, pp. 1328449, 2024, ISSN: 1664-1078.
@article{Pizzolante2024_AestheticExperiencesTheir,
title = {Aesthetic experiences and their transformative power: a systematic review},
author = {Marta Pizzolante and Matthew Pelowski and Theresa Rahel Demmer and Sabrina Bartolotta and Eleonora Diletta Sarcinella and Andrea Gaggioli and Alice Chirico},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1328449/full},
doi = {10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1328449},
issn = {1664-1078},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-10-01},
urldate = {2025-01-13},
journal = {Frontiers in Psychology},
volume = {15},
pages = {1328449},
abstract = {Background
Transformative experiences (TEs) have been conceptualized in many ways, contexts, magnitudes, and durations, but at their heart, they entail some manner of adjustment, which contributes to changing individuals’ worldviews, actions, views of others and/or their own feelings, personality, and identity. Among the many elicitors identified as being able to foster TEs, an emerging body of literature has suggested that TEs might be prevalent in aesthetics or emerged from encounters with human art. Beyond denoting ordinary moments characterizing our daily lives, art and aesthetics could occasionally represent profound changes, causing shifts in our perceptions, beliefs and understanding of the world. However, in the realm of psychological inquiry, the extent to which art and aesthetics can be considered potential catalysts for transformation remains a topic of debate. Furthermore, a comprehensive identification of the key psychological components that contribute to the process of transformation before, during, and after aesthetic engagement is still missing.
Aims
This systematic review endeavors to address these gaps by synthesizing literature on aesthetic transformative experiences either from the field of psychology or explicitly delving into the psychological impact of transformative experiences within the realm of art and aesthetics. It encompasses both theoretical and empirical papers to determine key aspects and psychological components that characterize TEs.
Methods
Two major electronic databases were systematically searched. The review was conducted in accordance with Liberati et al. (2009) and PRISMA guidelines. All stages of the review were conducted independently by three researchers, and the protocol was published on PROSPERO (Registration no.: CRD42022298655).
Results
Although 39.440 studies were identified, only 23 peer-reviewed articles were included in this review, as most studies did not explicitly delve into the long-lasting psychological impact of art and aesthetics.
Discussion
The results confirm the potential of art and aesthetics as elicitors of transformation regardless of the type of artwork and the usage context. Moreover, it also identifies some psychological components necessary for transformation in the realm of art and aesthetics, including facilitating conditions/pre-expectations, cognitive discrepancy, epiphany and insight, and several after-effects on the recipient.
Conclusion
The review aids in refining and enriching the concept of transformative experience, paving the way for further research and applications in various fields, including not only psychology but also education and therapeutic interventions.
Systematic review registration
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/
, identifier CRD42022298655.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Background
Transformative experiences (TEs) have been conceptualized in many ways, contexts, magnitudes, and durations, but at their heart, they entail some manner of adjustment, which contributes to changing individuals’ worldviews, actions, views of others and/or their own feelings, personality, and identity. Among the many elicitors identified as being able to foster TEs, an emerging body of literature has suggested that TEs might be prevalent in aesthetics or emerged from encounters with human art. Beyond denoting ordinary moments characterizing our daily lives, art and aesthetics could occasionally represent profound changes, causing shifts in our perceptions, beliefs and understanding of the world. However, in the realm of psychological inquiry, the extent to which art and aesthetics can be considered potential catalysts for transformation remains a topic of debate. Furthermore, a comprehensive identification of the key psychological components that contribute to the process of transformation before, during, and after aesthetic engagement is still missing.
Aims
This systematic review endeavors to address these gaps by synthesizing literature on aesthetic transformative experiences either from the field of psychology or explicitly delving into the psychological impact of transformative experiences within the realm of art and aesthetics. It encompasses both theoretical and empirical papers to determine key aspects and psychological components that characterize TEs.
Methods
Two major electronic databases were systematically searched. The review was conducted in accordance with Liberati et al. (2009) and PRISMA guidelines. All stages of the review were conducted independently by three researchers, and the protocol was published on PROSPERO (Registration no.: CRD42022298655).
Results
Although 39.440 studies were identified, only 23 peer-reviewed articles were included in this review, as most studies did not explicitly delve into the long-lasting psychological impact of art and aesthetics.
Discussion
The results confirm the potential of art and aesthetics as elicitors of transformation regardless of the type of artwork and the usage context. Moreover, it also identifies some psychological components necessary for transformation in the realm of art and aesthetics, including facilitating conditions/pre-expectations, cognitive discrepancy, epiphany and insight, and several after-effects on the recipient.
Conclusion
The review aids in refining and enriching the concept of transformative experience, paving the way for further research and applications in various fields, including not only psychology but also education and therapeutic interventions.
Systematic review registration
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/
, identifier CRD42022298655.
Transformative experiences (TEs) have been conceptualized in many ways, contexts, magnitudes, and durations, but at their heart, they entail some manner of adjustment, which contributes to changing individuals’ worldviews, actions, views of others and/or their own feelings, personality, and identity. Among the many elicitors identified as being able to foster TEs, an emerging body of literature has suggested that TEs might be prevalent in aesthetics or emerged from encounters with human art. Beyond denoting ordinary moments characterizing our daily lives, art and aesthetics could occasionally represent profound changes, causing shifts in our perceptions, beliefs and understanding of the world. However, in the realm of psychological inquiry, the extent to which art and aesthetics can be considered potential catalysts for transformation remains a topic of debate. Furthermore, a comprehensive identification of the key psychological components that contribute to the process of transformation before, during, and after aesthetic engagement is still missing.
Aims
This systematic review endeavors to address these gaps by synthesizing literature on aesthetic transformative experiences either from the field of psychology or explicitly delving into the psychological impact of transformative experiences within the realm of art and aesthetics. It encompasses both theoretical and empirical papers to determine key aspects and psychological components that characterize TEs.
Methods
Two major electronic databases were systematically searched. The review was conducted in accordance with Liberati et al. (2009) and PRISMA guidelines. All stages of the review were conducted independently by three researchers, and the protocol was published on PROSPERO (Registration no.: CRD42022298655).
Results
Although 39.440 studies were identified, only 23 peer-reviewed articles were included in this review, as most studies did not explicitly delve into the long-lasting psychological impact of art and aesthetics.
Discussion
The results confirm the potential of art and aesthetics as elicitors of transformation regardless of the type of artwork and the usage context. Moreover, it also identifies some psychological components necessary for transformation in the realm of art and aesthetics, including facilitating conditions/pre-expectations, cognitive discrepancy, epiphany and insight, and several after-effects on the recipient.
Conclusion
The review aids in refining and enriching the concept of transformative experience, paving the way for further research and applications in various fields, including not only psychology but also education and therapeutic interventions.
Systematic review registration
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/
, identifier CRD42022298655.
Amend, Lilian; Mikuni, Jan; Dehove, Margot; Dörrzapf, Linda; Moser, Martin Karl; Resch, Bernd; Böhm, Pia; Prager, Katharina; Leder, Helmut; Oberzaucher, Elisabeth
The impact of urban street green transformation on subjective well-being and evaluation of the location: A case study in Vienna, Austria Journal Article
In: Environment and Social Psychology, vol. 9, no. 9, 2024, ISSN: 2424-8975, 2424-7979.
@article{Amend2024_ImpactUrbanStreet,
title = {The impact of urban street green transformation on subjective well-being and evaluation of the location: A case study in Vienna, Austria},
author = {Lilian Amend and Jan Mikuni and Margot Dehove and Linda Dörrzapf and Martin Karl Moser and Bernd Resch and Pia Böhm and Katharina Prager and Helmut Leder and Elisabeth Oberzaucher},
url = {https://esp.as-pub.com/index.php/esp/article/view/2861},
doi = {10.59429/esp.v9i9.2861},
issn = {2424-8975, 2424-7979},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-10-01},
urldate = {2024-10-24},
journal = {Environment and Social Psychology},
volume = {9},
number = {9},
abstract = {Urban green landscapes, such as street- and ground-level greenery, are essential for urban populations, enabling frequent and spontaneous interactions with nature in cities. While many cities have increased their green infrastructure and landscapes, their impact on well-being and environmental evaluations needs to be studied more. In the present study, we conducted a field experiment that directly addressed this aspect. Specifically, on two urban streets in Vienna (Austria), we conducted the same structured field experiment during two different periods, during March and May/June in 2022, resulting in different levels of greenery in two urban streets. We aimed to study if and how varying quantities of greenery in urban street landscapes influence subjective well-being in terms of subjective feelings of stress and affective mood, as well as the restorative potential of the locations. Our results showed that, unlike the often-reported positive impact of urban green spaces, the varying amount of greenery on the streets did not positively affect the well-being or the restorative potential of the locations. The results highlight that simply implementing greenery might not be sufficient to induce positive effects. Instead, more intense and dense greenery would be necessary to achieve the desired outcomes.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Urban green landscapes, such as street- and ground-level greenery, are essential for urban populations, enabling frequent and spontaneous interactions with nature in cities. While many cities have increased their green infrastructure and landscapes, their impact on well-being and environmental evaluations needs to be studied more. In the present study, we conducted a field experiment that directly addressed this aspect. Specifically, on two urban streets in Vienna (Austria), we conducted the same structured field experiment during two different periods, during March and May/June in 2022, resulting in different levels of greenery in two urban streets. We aimed to study if and how varying quantities of greenery in urban street landscapes influence subjective well-being in terms of subjective feelings of stress and affective mood, as well as the restorative potential of the locations. Our results showed that, unlike the often-reported positive impact of urban green spaces, the varying amount of greenery on the streets did not positively affect the well-being or the restorative potential of the locations. The results highlight that simply implementing greenery might not be sufficient to induce positive effects. Instead, more intense and dense greenery would be necessary to achieve the desired outcomes.