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Cognition and art: the current interdisciplinary approach
1Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews. Cognitive Science
|August 26, 2015
Summary
The study redefines the relationship between cognition and art by integrating insights from multiple scientific disciplines. This interdisciplinary approach reveals art
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Science
- Neuroscience
- Anthropology
- Art History
Background:
- Historically, cognition and art discussions focused on psychology and perception, primarily of pictorial art.
- Recent shifts incorporate archaeology, anthropology, biology, genetics, neurology, and neuroscience for deeper understanding.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the multifaceted relationship between human cognition and the diverse forms of art.
- To highlight the biological roots and communicative value of art as an expression of symbolic cognition.
Main Methods:
- An interdisciplinary review integrating findings from various scientific fields.
- Analysis of neurological evidence from artists with brain damage.
Main Results:
- Art's communicative function possesses deep biological roots and is evolutionarily adaptive.
- Neurological evidence suggests art's communicative nature is more damage-resistant than language.
Conclusions:
- A comprehensive understanding of art and cognition requires an interdisciplinary approach.
- Sociocultural factors, demographic conditions, and biological motivations interplay in art's enduring practice.
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