Electrophysiological Measures of Aesthetic Processing

Neuroaesthetics is an area of research that investigates the underpinnings of aesthetic processing. The thesis aimed to explore processing of Art and Design stimuli and whether there are any commonalities for positive and negative aesthetic responses between the two types of stimuli using electroencephalography. Research into neuroaesthetics is bridging the gap in the literature of aesthetic research with regard to ordinary objects. The thesis reports on two experiments that investigated two experiments which investigated two parallel lines of inquiry: the neural correlates of aesthetic responses, and the role of Typicality and Novelty in aesthetic preference of common objects.