Neuroaesthetics and Photography

            The field of neuroaesthetics seeks to understand the perception of beauty through examining neuroanatomical and associated cognitive elements. It strives to understand what determines the degree of beauty of an object, and what neural processes underlie its visual perception.
            In the article, "Is Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder or an Objective Truth? A Neuroscientific Answer", Grzywacz et al. utilized the processing fluency theory to assess the extent of the influence of both objectivity and subjectivity on the individual and collective perception of aesthetics. Processing fluency theory states that every object differs in fluency or the level of ease with which a viewer can process that object. The level of an object's fluency determines whether it is perceived positively or negatively (greater fluency results in a more positive view) based both on learned individual preference and on the evolution of general human perception of characteristics such as symmetry, balance and complexity, the main foci of this study. Specifically, they compared these characteristics amongst grayscale versions of Early Renaissance paintings, posed and spontaneous photographs. Results showed that the paintings, on average, had greater symmetry, balance, and detail; however, they showed less variability in intensity, establishing a degree of objectivity within aesthetics. Furthermore, the researchers also examined cognitive components associated with the reward-learning pathway and their relationship to the subjective aesthetic perception. They found that reinforcement learning and motivation adapt an individual’s values according to their experience, evidenced in the assessment of complexity and balance aesthetic preferences in risk-taker and risk-averse individuals. A risk-taker individual initially preferred higher complexity, whereas a risk-averse individual preferred lower complexity; these preferences were maintained in the endpoints, suggesting motivation and prior learned experiences influence the individuality of aesthetic perception.
            Similarly, another more recent study focuses on the individual and collective contribution to the high aesthetic value of an iconic photograph, Migrant Mother. In the study, “Neuro-Aesthetics and the Iconography of Photography”, Jokeit and Blochwitz apply the predictive coding theory to develop a combined neuroscientific and socio contextual approach to determine the success of this particular photograph. The predictive coding theory highlights the idea that the brain actively processes the individual’s model of the environment, compares it to the new information that is presented, and revises the existing model in order to adapt to the presented information. Furthermore, the researchers explore the idea that emotions associated with the activation of the amygdala paired with repetition enhance the memorability of a particular object or environment. These ideas are similar to the attribution of subjective aesthetics to learning and motivation proposed in Grzywacz’s study. Additionally, they emphasize the balance between relatability/familiarity and unpredictability coexisting in an art piece in order to draw and maintain the viewer’s attention. In the case of the Migrant Mother, the researchers attributed its success to its composition and the socio-economic climate of the Great Depression, when it was created. The component of familiarity and relatability stems from the emotions evoked from the shared experience of that era in America and also the conventional portrayal of a mother and her children. Additionally, the unpredictability and complexity lie in the composition, utilizing imbalance and detail which extends the duration of the viewer’s attention in order to assess all the elements of the photograph such as the presence of a baby in the mother’s arms which does not stand out upon initial observation. 

            Both studies emphasize the importance of recognizing the roles of objectivity and subjectivity when assessing the individual and general perceptions of beauty. Evolution has presented elements of objectivity in aesthetics as a result of adaptations to the environment for survival, but, as a result, has also led to increased subjectivity between and within different communities. Further exploration into this emerging field would lead to fruitful insight into the neuroscientific basis for the differences of aesthetic preference and can be utilized for practical applications to contribute to successes in other fields such marketing and visual art.

References

Grzywacz, Norberto M., et al. “Is Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder or an Objective Truth? A Neuroscientific Answer.” Springer Series on Bio- and Neurosystems Mobile Brain-Body Imaging and the Neuroscience of Art, Innovation and Creativity, 2019, pp. 101–110., doi:10.1007/978-3-030-24326-5_11.

Jokeit, Hennric, and Daniel Blochwitz. “Neuro‐Aesthetics and the Iconography in Photography.” PsyCh Journal, vol. 9, no. 4, 3 June 2020, pp. 444–457., doi:10.1002/pchj.379.