Finding meaning in art. Preferred levels of ambiguity in art appreciation.

Author(s)
Martina Jakesch, Helmut Leder
Abstract

Uncertainty is typically not desirable in everyday experiences, but uncertainty in the form of ambiguity may be a defining feature of aesthetic experiences of modern art. In this study, we examined different hypotheses concerning the quantity and quality of information appreciated in art. Artworks were shown together with auditorily presented statements. We tested whether the amount of information, the amount of matching information, or the proportion of matching to nonmatching statements apparent in a picture (levels of ambiguity) affect liking and interestingness. Only the levels of ambiguity predicted differences in the two dependent variables. These findings reveal that ambiguity is an important determinant of aesthetic appreciation and that a certain level of ambiguity is appreciable.

Organisation(s)
Journal
Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology
Volume
62
Pages
2105-2112
No. of pages
8
ISSN
1747-0218
Publication date
2009
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
501001 General psychology
Portal url
https://ucris.univie.ac.at/portal/en/publications/finding-meaning-in-art-preferred-levels-of-ambiguity-in-art-appreciation(559171c5-d937-4a06-82f7-5a6085b7539b).html