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Abstract:
Abstract: We report an event-related brain potential (ERP)
study comparing descriptive (symmetry) and evaluative (aesthetic)
judgments. Physically identical stimuli were used for both judgment
types in order to control for perceptual processes. Participants
viewed novel symmetrical and asymmetrical two-dimensional patterns
in a two-alternative forced-choice task setting. Aesthetic
judgments ("beautiful" / "not beautiful") and symmetry judgments
("symmetrical" / "asymmetrical" ) were precued in a mixed design.
Detailed paramorphic models of the individual judges' cognitive
systems as well as a group model were derived using multiple
regression analyses of behavioral data. The symmetry feature of the
stimuli and aesthetic judgments were strongly correlated for all
participants and descriptive judgments were performed faster than
evaluative judgments. The event-related potentials revealed a
phasic frontal negativity for the "not beautiful" judgments as
compared to the other judgments in the 300 to 400 millisecond time
range. This deflection reflected early evaluative processes. A
sustained posterior negativity for the "symmetric" judgments
relative to the other judgments in the time range between 600 and
1100 milliseconds reflected processes of the visual analysis of
symmetry. All four conditions showed late positive potentials
(LPP). Evaluative judgment LPPs revealed a more pronounced right
lateralization. In summary, although correlated behaviorally,
descriptive symmetry judgment and evaluative aesthetic judgment
processes differ qualitatively and recruit, at least in part,
distinct neural machinery.
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