Neural correlates of negative aesthetic evaluations in visual art: a neuroimaging meta-analysis

Neuroaesthetics has focused on investigating positive aesthetic evaluations while neglecting negative aesthetic evaluations. The employment of domain-general neural systems may engender hedonic valuation across an affective space of (dis)pleasure towards artistic and non-artistic stimuli. Hence, we conducted a meta-analysis assessing neural correlates associated with negative aesthetic evaluations towards visual artwork (NAE) and with viewing or evaluating negative non-artistic images from the International Affective Picture System (N-IAPS). Literature search screenings found 16 studies and 16 experiments for the NAE and 46 studies and 47 experiments for the N-IAPS. GingerALE software employed activation likelihood estimation analyses to specify neural correlates within and between NAE and N-IAPS. Meta-analytic results from the NAE solely revealed the right fusiform gyrus encroaching the anterior cerebellum, while activations across frontal, occipital, temporal and subcortical areas were revealed for the N-IAPS. A commonality between the NAE and N-IAPS was revealed within the right fusiform gyrus. These results suggest that the domain-general neural systems are at play across negative visual affective experiences, yet the context of stimulus engagement, such as aesthetic, may modulate how these neural systems are employed. Given the scarcity of results, future research in neuroaesthetics must expand from positive aesthetic evaluations to ascertain neural correlates within negative aesthetic evaluations.