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.

Preface 1. Art and psychology 2. The neuroscience of art 3. Why do we engage in art? 4. Depicting space, contour and form in art 5. Depicting colour and motion in art 6. What makes great art? 7. Creativity in art and science Further reading Bibliography

George Mather is Honorary Professor at the University of Sussex, UK and Emeritus Professor at the University of Lincoln, UK. His main research interests are in the perception of movement, art and visual illusions.