Experiencing art together: integrating affect and semiosis

IntroductionArt is ubiquitous in our lives, and its experience and understanding are deeply emotional. Dewey suggested that all human experience, including art experiences, emerges from active engagement with the environment. In this view, affect and interpretation are interconnected processes that...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Gemma Schino, Lisa-Maria van Klaveren, Theisje van Dorsten, Samrddhee Pathare, Barend van Heusden, Ralf F. A. Cox
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1544901/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850142699438473216
author Gemma Schino
Lisa-Maria van Klaveren
Lisa-Maria van Klaveren
Lisa-Maria van Klaveren
Theisje van Dorsten
Samrddhee Pathare
Barend van Heusden
Ralf F. A. Cox
author_facet Gemma Schino
Lisa-Maria van Klaveren
Lisa-Maria van Klaveren
Lisa-Maria van Klaveren
Theisje van Dorsten
Samrddhee Pathare
Barend van Heusden
Ralf F. A. Cox
author_sort Gemma Schino
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionArt is ubiquitous in our lives, and its experience and understanding are deeply emotional. Dewey suggested that all human experience, including art experiences, emerges from active engagement with the environment. In this view, affect and interpretation are interconnected processes that unfold together. To examine the integration of these processes, this interdisciplinary study used a multi-method approach.MethodsEighteen dyads of adult participants took part in the study. They were instructed to each bring an art object that was meaningful to them. During the experiment participants engaged in an audio-visually recorded, semi-structured conversation, reflecting on both art objects. They also answered pre- and post-questionnaires on their emotions. Affect was measured through self-reported valence and arousal of emotions, and sentiment analysis of the conversation. Semiosis as the process of making sense of the art objects was operationalized in terms of four strategies, namely: perception, imagination, conceptualization, and analysis. Affect was measured through self-reported valence and arousal of emotions, and sentiment analysis of the conversation.Results and discussionThe results showed that dyadic interactions led to changes, at the group level, in participants’ self-reported affect toward the other’s art object. An Exploratory Graph Analysis revealed unique weighted networks of sentiment for each strategy. Additionally, a Multinomial Log-linear Model demonstrated that affect and strategies work in tandem during the art experience, to predict perceived affect.
format Article
id doaj-art-4bf1369c76ab4c9285809f98e6aae87d
institution OA Journals
issn 1664-1078
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Psychology
spelling doaj-art-4bf1369c76ab4c9285809f98e6aae87d2025-08-20T02:28:58ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-04-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.15449011544901Experiencing art together: integrating affect and semiosisGemma Schino0Lisa-Maria van Klaveren1Lisa-Maria van Klaveren2Lisa-Maria van Klaveren3Theisje van Dorsten4Samrddhee Pathare5Barend van Heusden6Ralf F. A. Cox7Department of Psychology, University of Groningen, Groningen, NetherlandsDepartment of Psychology, University of Groningen, Groningen, NetherlandsInstitute for Education and Training, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, NetherlandsUniversity College Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, NetherlandsUniversity College Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, NetherlandsDepartment of Psychology, University of Groningen, Groningen, NetherlandsDepartment of Arts, Culture, and Media, University of Groningen, Groningen, NetherlandsDepartment of Psychology, University of Groningen, Groningen, NetherlandsIntroductionArt is ubiquitous in our lives, and its experience and understanding are deeply emotional. Dewey suggested that all human experience, including art experiences, emerges from active engagement with the environment. In this view, affect and interpretation are interconnected processes that unfold together. To examine the integration of these processes, this interdisciplinary study used a multi-method approach.MethodsEighteen dyads of adult participants took part in the study. They were instructed to each bring an art object that was meaningful to them. During the experiment participants engaged in an audio-visually recorded, semi-structured conversation, reflecting on both art objects. They also answered pre- and post-questionnaires on their emotions. Affect was measured through self-reported valence and arousal of emotions, and sentiment analysis of the conversation. Semiosis as the process of making sense of the art objects was operationalized in terms of four strategies, namely: perception, imagination, conceptualization, and analysis. Affect was measured through self-reported valence and arousal of emotions, and sentiment analysis of the conversation.Results and discussionThe results showed that dyadic interactions led to changes, at the group level, in participants’ self-reported affect toward the other’s art object. An Exploratory Graph Analysis revealed unique weighted networks of sentiment for each strategy. Additionally, a Multinomial Log-linear Model demonstrated that affect and strategies work in tandem during the art experience, to predict perceived affect.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1544901/fullart experienceaffectsemiosissentiment analysisexploratory graph analysis
spellingShingle Gemma Schino
Lisa-Maria van Klaveren
Lisa-Maria van Klaveren
Lisa-Maria van Klaveren
Theisje van Dorsten
Samrddhee Pathare
Barend van Heusden
Ralf F. A. Cox
Experiencing art together: integrating affect and semiosis
Frontiers in Psychology
art experience
affect
semiosis
sentiment analysis
exploratory graph analysis
title Experiencing art together: integrating affect and semiosis
title_full Experiencing art together: integrating affect and semiosis
title_fullStr Experiencing art together: integrating affect and semiosis
title_full_unstemmed Experiencing art together: integrating affect and semiosis
title_short Experiencing art together: integrating affect and semiosis
title_sort experiencing art together integrating affect and semiosis
topic art experience
affect
semiosis
sentiment analysis
exploratory graph analysis
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1544901/full
work_keys_str_mv AT gemmaschino experiencingarttogetherintegratingaffectandsemiosis
AT lisamariavanklaveren experiencingarttogetherintegratingaffectandsemiosis
AT lisamariavanklaveren experiencingarttogetherintegratingaffectandsemiosis
AT lisamariavanklaveren experiencingarttogetherintegratingaffectandsemiosis
AT theisjevandorsten experiencingarttogetherintegratingaffectandsemiosis
AT samrddheepathare experiencingarttogetherintegratingaffectandsemiosis
AT barendvanheusden experiencingarttogetherintegratingaffectandsemiosis
AT ralffacox experiencingarttogetherintegratingaffectandsemiosis