The Psychology of Art

151 Pages·2020·7.441 MB·English

by  George Mather

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF ART
Why do we enjoy art? What inspires us to create artistic works? How
can brain science help us understand our taste in art?
The Psychology of Art provides an eclectic introduction to the myriad
ways in which psychology can help us understand and appreciate
creative activities. Exploring how we perceive everything from colour
to motion, the book examines art-making as a form of human
behaviour that stretches back throughout history as a constant source
of inspiration, conflict and conversation. It also considers how factors
such as fakery, reproduction technology and sexism influence our
judgements about art.
By asking what psychological science has to do with artistic
appreciation, The Psychology of Art introduces the reader to new ways of
thinking about how we create and consume art.
George Mather is Professor of Psychology at the University of
Lincoln, UK. His main research interests are in the perception of
movement, art and visual illusions.
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF EVERYTHING
People are fascinated by psychology, and what makes humans tick.
Why do we think and behave the way we do? We’ve all met armchair
psychologists claiming to have the answers, and people that ask if
psychologists can tell what they’re thinking. The Psychology of Everything is
a series of books which debunk the popular myths and pseudo-
science surrounding some of life’s biggest questions.
The series explores the hidden psychological factors that drive us,
from our subconscious desires and aversions, to our natural social
instincts. Absorbing, informative, and always intriguing, each book
is written by an expert in the field, examining how research-based
knowledge compares with popular wisdom, and showing how
psychology can truly enrich our understanding of modern life.
Applying a psychological lens to an array of topics and contemporary
concerns – from sex, to fashion, to conspiracy theories – The Psychology
of Everything will make you look at everything in a new way.
Titles in the series:
The Psychology of Grief The Psychology of Conspiracy
Richard Gross Theories
Jan-Willem van Prooijen
The Psychology of Sex
Meg-John Barker The Psychology of Addiction
Jenny Svanberg
The Psychology of Dieting
Jane Ogden The Psychology of Fashion
Carolyn Mair
The Psychology of
Performance The Psychology of Gardening
Stewart T. Cotterill Harriet Gross
The Psychology of Trust The Psychology of Gender
Ken J. Rotenberg Gary Wood
The Psychology of Working Life The Psychology of Climate Change
Toon W. Taris Geoffrey Beattie and Laura McGuire
The Psychology of Vampires The Psychology of Politics
David Cohen Barry Richards
The Psychology of Chess The Psychology of the Paranormal
Fernand Gobet David Groome
The Psychology of Music The Psychology of Prejudice
Susan Hallam Richard Gross
The Psychology of Weather The Psychology of Intelligence
Trevor Harley Sonja Falck
The Psychology of Terrorism
The Psychology of Driving
Neil Shortland
Graham J. Hole
The Psychology of Dreaming
The Psychology of Retirement
Josie Malinowski
Doreen Rosenthal and Susan M. Moore
The Psychology of Exercise
The Psychology of School
Josephine Perry
Bullying
Peter Smith
The Psychology of Video Games
Celia Hodent
The Psychology of Celebrity
Gayle Stever The Psychology of Religion
Vassilis Saroglou
The Psychology of Dog
Ownership The Psychology of Belonging
Craig Roberts and Theresa Barlow Kelly-Ann Allen
The Psychology of Social Media The Psychology of Art
Ciarán Mc Mahon George Mather
The Psychology of Happiness The Psychology of Wellbeing
Peter Warr Gary W. Wood
For further information about this series please visit
www.routledgetextbooks.com/textbooks/thepsychologyofeverything/

TH E
P S Y C H O L O GY
OF A RT
GEORGE MATHER
First published 2021
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2021 George Mather
The right of George Mather to be identified as author of this work
has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of
the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical,
or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or
registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and
explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record for this book has been requested
ISBN: 978-0-367-22607-7 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-367-60993-1 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-0-429-27592-0 (ebk)
Typeset in Joanna
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
For Arthur and William

CONTENTS
Preface xi
1 Art and psychology 1
2 The neuroscience of art 13
3 Why do we engage in art? 23
4 Depicting space, contour and form in art 39
5 Depicting colour and motion in art 63
6 What makes great art? 87
7 Creativity in art and science 113
Further reading 123
Bibliography 129