Does artistic experience affect the mental processes used when viewing visual art?

By John Mullennix

Backed by Chas Clifton, Marc Schminkey, Sylvia Jessberger, Sarah Mineiro, Scott Barb, Gregory Reich, Dr. THoma J. Capo, Renee Mathur, Sharon Bertsch, Don Bertschman, and 12 other backers

University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

DOI: 10.18258/7096

$1,300

Raised of $1,200 Goal

108%

Funded on 6/18/16

Successfully Funded

$1,300
pledged
108%
funded
Funded
on 6/18/16

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Discussion

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SonoradeCrear

Good

Sep 26, 20220

TDMG

Good

Sep 12, 20220

Chas cliftonBacker

Hi John. Our contribution is half Gladys, half me. My notion is that art is an intellectual source of "qi," which is that happy energy that binds us to the world. Qi is scattered everywhere, and our senses, and also our imagination and intuitions, are the receptors that activate it.

Jun 19, 20160

John MullennixResearcher

I absolutely believe that. I think the evolution of art bears that out also. You look at the ancient petroglyphs and cupules from 500 million years ago and there are reasons why art affects us in the way it does, it is ingrained in us for a reason.

Jun 19, 20160

Carly SorgeBacker

As an illustrator myself, I am personally interested in the findings! I've wanted way more science on artists' brains- there's some weird things going on in here. For example, I have "super-pareidolia" where I can find different complex images in random patterns very very quickly, and can switch between them fast as well (within a fraction of a second). I'm really curious in differences between artists' brains and how their skills are reflected in that. There's just so much! Anyway, I am glad you are doing this kind of research and excited to contribute even a meager amount.

Jun 01, 20160

John MullennixResearcher

Hi Carly, Thank you so much for your donation, I really appreciate it! Yes, pareidolia is a really interesting phenomenon. There hasn't been a lot of research on it, especially looking at differences between artists and other people, but my guess is that those differences are there, and that artists' brains are wired in a slightly different way that facilitates it. The studies I've been doing will get at some differences between artists' brains and others. Actually, as I think about it now, studying individual differences in pareidolia would be an interesting research study (wheels in head beginning to turn). Thanks!

Jun 02, 20160