Graduation Year
2026
Document Type
Senior Thesis
Degree
Bachelor of Arts
Primary Major
Psychology
Second Major
Visual Studies
Primary Minor
English
Second Minor
Fine Arts
Thesis Advisor
Benjamin Rosenberg, PhD
Abstract
The psychological response one has when viewing art depends heavily on contextual understanding. More specifically, when a viewer learns negative biographical information about perceived immorality of an artist, it can negatively affect their relationship with that artist's work (Kaube et al., 2023). The sample was made up of 134 participants randomly assigned to one of two groups exposed to either positive or negative information about the artist Paul Gauguin. After viewing information, participants were shown three different paintings, before being asked to respond to an intentionality scale, and two art reception scales. An independent samples t-test showed that there is a statistically significant difference between groups exposed to negative versus positive information. Participants exposed to negative biographical information dislike the artist’s work more, and have less intent to engage with the art in the future than the group exposed to positive biographical information.These findings both support prior studies and reinforce psychological theories about how affective bias and moral reasoning influence aesthetic judgment.
Included in
Applied Behavior Analysis Commons, Cognition and Perception Commons, Experimental Analysis of Behavior Commons, Modern Art and Architecture Commons, Other Sociology Commons