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Tuning in to art: A predictive processing account of negative emotion in art

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2017

Sander Van de Cruys ,
Rebecca Chamberlain  and
Johan Wagemans
Sander Van de Cruys
Affiliation:
Brain and Cognition Unit, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven BE-3000, Belgium. sander.vandecruys@kuleuven.bejohan.wagemans@kuleuven.bewww.sandervandecruys.be
Rebecca Chamberlain
Affiliation:
Brain and Cognition Unit, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven BE-3000, Belgium. sander.vandecruys@kuleuven.bejohan.wagemans@kuleuven.bewww.sandervandecruys.be Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London, London SE14 6NW, United Kingdom. r.chamberlain@gold.ac.ukwww.gestaltrevision.be
Johan Wagemans
Affiliation:
Brain and Cognition Unit, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven BE-3000, Belgium. sander.vandecruys@kuleuven.bejohan.wagemans@kuleuven.bewww.sandervandecruys.be
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Abstract

We use the example of art-derived solace to discuss a broader mechanism by which negative affect is instrumental in creating positive appreciation of artworks. Based on the theory of predictive processing, we argue that increasing attunement or reduction of prediction errors, which implies increasing validation of the agents (models), is experienced as positive, even if the artwork's content is negative.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 40 , 2017 , e377
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017 

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