Published Papers
Fingerhut, J., Gomez-Lavin, J., Winklmayr, C., & Prinz, J. J. (2021). The Aesthetic Self. The Importance of Aesthetic Taste in Music and Art for our Perceived Identity. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 577703. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.577703
This study focused on the relationship between art and self-identity. More specifically, we assessed to what extent do aesthetic taste and interest in the arts constitute who we are, and empirically addressed in four studies providing participants (N=1,797) with a number of hypothetical scenarios involving changes in aesthetic preferences, for example, moving from liking classical music to liking pop, and assessing to what extent they are perceived as altering us as a person. These were also compared again other changes such altering political partisanship or religious orientation. Results showed that individuals thought that changes in art altered identity at a similar level as moral changes, and significantly stronger than for other categories of taste, such as food preferences. Termed the "aesthetic self effect," this phenomenon provides insights into the dynamic interplay between art, personal identity, and societal norms.
Kühnapfel, C., Fingerhut, J. & Pelowski, M. (2023). The Role of the Body in the Experience of Installation Art: A Case Study of Visitors’ Bodily Experience in Tomás Saraceno’s “in orbit.” Frontiers in Psychology, 14. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1192689
The study explores how bodily experiences shape engagement with installation art, focusing on its immersive nature and physical participation requirements. Conducted at the K21 Kunstsammlung NRW in Germany, the research surveyed 236 participants interacting with Tomás Saraceno's "in orbit" installation. Through a detailed questionnaire and network analysis, the study identified four distinct groups of bodily experiences: Presence, Proprioception, Interoception, and Disturbance. Proprioceptive experiences correlated with art appreciation and transformative outcomes, while disturbing experiences were associated with awe and self-reflection. These findings underscore the crucial role of bodily engagement in experiencing and appreciating installation art, with practical implications for enhancing art engagement and fostering transformative states. The study calls for further research on the embodied aesthetics of installation art to deepen our understanding of its impact and potential for change.
Draft Papers
Exploring the Influence of Architectural Complexity on Aesthetics and Behavior in Public Interior Spaces
This paper draft deals with interest and beauty of public interior spaces, as well as the desire to explore such spaces and to meet someone in them depending on levels of complexity. Public interior spaces, ranging from airports to shopping centers, serve as dynamic arenas for social interaction and engagement. Research highlights their significance in fostering community connections and influencing various aspects of human experience, including mood, cognition, and mental health. Despite advancements in neuroarchitecture research, the precise mechanisms through which these spaces impact individuals remain partially understood. Recent studies explore the role of visual aesthetics, particularly beauty and complexity, in shaping human behavior within architectural environments. While complexity has historically been associated with beauty, its direct connection to behavioral outcomes in public interiors remains unexplored. This research aims to bridge this gap by investigating how architectural complexity influences aesthetic judgments and subsequent behaviors in public interior spaces. Additionally, individual differences, such as personal interest and expertise in architecture, may further shape these responses, highlighting the need for a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between architectural features and human experience.
Art as Intervention On the Effects of a Street-level Gallery Exhibition on Neighbourhood Connectedness, Satisfaction and Psychological Wellbeing (C. Kühnapfel, M. Trupp, M. Pelowski & J. Fingerhut)
This draft paper deals with the impact impact of public art on neighbourhood connection and satisfaction as important factors contributing to wellbeing. We specifically focussed on a street-level free gallery (Gallery Wedding in Berlin) that is situated in the centre of its neighbourhood. The exhibition aimed at a re-mediation of the relation to a neighborhood (“Job Center. Psychic Places,” artist: Emily Hunt, curator: Solvej H. Ovesen). In our study we assessed whether the exhibition altered visitors’ connection to, and satisfaction with the neighborhood, and subjective wellbeing in terms of mood. We stopped by-passers to engage with the exhibition and assessed their attitudes pre-post the experience. They also had to aesthetically evaluate the exhibition. Preliminary results show that after engaging the exhibition, participants (N = 64) felt significantly more connected to the neighborhood and had improved subjective wellbeing. We also assessed the curator’s and artist’s intended emotions. Here we found that when visitors felt the artists’ intended emotions more, they exhibited higher subjective wellbeing and neighbourhood connectedness after the exhibition. The paper will also address how the subjective aesthetic evaluation of the art (as good, meaningful, etc.) relates to the above changes and discuss the results with respect to the transformative potential of urban art.
