Has it happened to you that when reading a novel, watching a play, contemplating a beautiful painting or watching a movie, you experience a type of emotion and you don’t know how to express it? Emotions can be classified from different points of view. One of the little-known classifications is that of aesthetic emotions, also called emotions of the arts.
For neuropsychiatrist Eric Kandel, emotions are a mechanism specific to human beings, which serves to shape existence and have two essential functions: avoiding pain and experiencing pleasure. Therefore, aesthetic emotions are linked to the need for knowledge to be able to regulate and express them. In this Psychology-online article we will tell you thatWhat are aesthetic emotions, which are the most frequent and how are they perceived?.
What are aesthetic emotions
Do you know what aesthetic or artistic emotions are? Aesthetic and artistic emotions are those that can be experienced when being in contact with different expressions of art. In other words, they are caused by beauty and the sense of artistic or natural creationwhich is achieved with painting, or a song, a book, or any other type of art.
All people can experience aesthetic emotions at any time in their lives, since they are produced by the individual appreciation that each person has for creations.
On the other hand, this type of emotions not only refers to what positive, pleasant and pleasant. In fact, they can also arouse negative feelings. For example, when observing Michelangelo’s Pieta we are likely to experience anguish, sadness and pain, which will depend on the individual interpretation of the observer.
Now, artistic emotions can also be perceived when watching the sunrise, from a sporting triumph or from participating in a musical composition. This is why they are emotions that They manifest at any stage of life.
What are aesthetic emotions
Within the expression of emotions in art, the most complex aesthetic emotion of all is the beauty. This is because it is an emotion that is experienced in real time and will depend on the meaning that the person gives to the representation.
Other aesthetic emotions are related to the sublime, the pain and sadness. In fact, they are non-verbal manifestations that are associated with the emotional expression of different authors and artistic creators.
It is a connection that is born from sensitivity to what is observed and heard. In such a way, that aesthetic emotions are not learned, but rather They are born from observation and experimentation and, in turn, they are integrated into sensations.
Now that you know that you can also be the emitter of these aesthetic emotions at any time in your life, we suggest you do this so that you can identify what your favorite artistic activity is and begin to express your feelings.
How aesthetic emotions are perceived
As we already mentioned, aesthetic emotions occur because some expression of art (or natural creation) impresses the individual cognitive and affective state. In this sense, many neuroscientists affirm that these emotions are categorized in the brain according to the relevance and modulation that people give them.
These types of artistic emotions are identified through different facial parameters, voice changes, body postures, among other elements. Although it is not yet known for sure the real time in which the physical and emotional response will occur. Actually, these are manifestations that start from the individual perspective and, as such, are perceived in different ways.
For their part, artists use different codes (signs and symbols) to communicate their feelings. Artistic emotions or aesthetic emotions They can express themselves through dance, music, painting and an endless number of artistic compositions with different constituent elements to give it the desired shape. In short, the artist expresses what he feels to generate these emotions in the spectators.
Examples of aesthetic and artistic emotions
If we talk about artistic emotions, there are many examples of aesthetic emotions that we can cite. For example, Goya’s painting “Munch’s Scream” can provoke emotions such as anger, rage or disgust. Likewise, there are many examples of aesthetic and artistic emotions, such as:
- Sadness when reading a novel or watching a movie.
- Surprise when watching a documentary or an architectural work.
- Joy when listening to a symphony or an opera, among many others.
Undoubtedly, art encourages different emotional reactions, encourages creativity and allows a direct connection between the creator and the receiver. In fact, due to its relevance, it is already common to manage aesthetic emotions from childhood education to promote rapprochement and social interaction from an early age.
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This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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Bibliography
- Bernal, I. (2007): Emotions and social intelligence: the keys to an alliance between feelings and reason, Barcelona, Ariel.
- González, L et al. (2010): Emotions and feelings, interdisciplinary approaches: the social construction of love, Cuenca, Editions of the University of Castilla-La Mancha.
- Menninghaus, W., Wagner, V., Wassiliwizky, E., Schindler, I., Hanich, J., Jacobsen, T., & Koelsch, S. (2019). What are aesthetic emotions? Psychological Review, 126(2), 171–195. https://doi.org/10.1037/rev0000135