The Science of Creativity Dr. Ellen Winner: The Psychology of the Arts
Nov 1, 2024
Dr. Ellen Winner, a retired Psychology Professor at Boston College and a Senior Research Associate at Harvard's Project Zero, discusses the fascinating psychology behind art. She explores the emotional responses people have to challenging themes in art and the unique value original works hold over forgeries. Winner highlights the diminishing creativity in children that resurges in adults, contrasting Eastern and Western approaches to art education. Her insights shed light on the significant role of creativity in understanding ourselves and the world.
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Scope of Psychology of Arts
- The psychology of the arts studies artists, audiences, development, and brain representation of arts.
- It explores why arts give pleasure and how people emotionally respond to art even if it upsets them.
Pleasure from Sad Art
- Art can evoke sadness and horror yet still provide pleasure through aesthetic distance.
- This dual experience lets viewers make meaning and feel positive emotions despite negative content.
Tragic Art as Therapy
- Ellen Winner is drawn to tragic art like Holocaust films as a way to bear witness and cope with difficult emotions.
- She finds making meaning from such art therapeutic and important for emotional understanding.
