All That Glitters: A Review of Psychological Research on the Aesthetics of the Golden Section

Perception ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 24 (8) ◽  
pp. 937-968 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher D Green
Keyword(s):  
19Th Century ◽  
Golden Section ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Empirical Work ◽  
Psychological Research ◽  
Psychological Effects ◽  
Scientific Psychology ◽  
Aesthetic Properties ◽  
The Aesthetic ◽  
Art And Architecture

Since at least the time of the Ancient Greeks, scholars have argued about whether the golden section—a number approximately equal to 0.618—holds the key to the secret of beauty. Empirical investigations of the aesthetic properties of the golden section date back to the very origins of scientific psychology itself, the first studies being conducted by Fechner in the 1860s. In this paper historical and contemporary issues are reviewed with regard to the alleged aesthetic properties of the golden section. In the introductory section the most important mathematical occurrences of the golden section are described. As well, brief reference is made to research on natural occurrences of the golden section, and to ancient and medieval knowledge and application of the golden section, primarily in art and architecture. Two major sections then discuss and critically examine empirical studies of the putative aesthetic properties of the golden section dating from the mid-19th century up to the 1950s, and the empirical work of the last three decades, respectively. It is concluded that there seems to be, in fact, real psychological effects associated with the golden section, but that they are relatively sensitive to careless methodological practices.

Status-Based Identity

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 270-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mesmin Destin ◽  
Michelle Rheinschmidt-Same ◽  
Jennifer A. Richeson
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Empirical Work ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Research ◽  
Psychological Effects ◽  
Downward Mobility ◽  
Relevant Research ◽  
The Past ◽  
New Directions ◽  
And Behavior

Psychological research on socioeconomic status (SES) has grown significantly over the past decade. In this article, we build upon and integrate existing approaches to direct greater attention toward investigating the subjective meaning and value that people attach to understanding their own SES as an identity. We use the term status-based identity to organize relevant research and examine how people understand and make meaning of their SES from moment to moment in real time. Drawing from multiple areas of research on identity, we suggest that even temporary shifts in how people construe their status-based identities predict changes in thought, affect, motivation, and behavior. This novel focus is positioned to examine the psychological effects of status transitions (e.g., upward or downward mobility). Further, in initial empirical work, we introduce a new measure to assess uncertainty regarding one’s SES (i.e., status-based identity uncertainty) and offer evidence that greater uncertainty regarding one’s status-based identity is associated with lower individual well-being. In sum, we argue that insight from the literature on identity will both expand and serve to organize the burgeoning literature on the psychology of SES and, in so doing, reveal promising new directions for research.

Consistency in the Expression of Aesthetic Preference in Line Partitioning

1997 ◽  
Vol 84 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1151-1154
Author(s):  
W. D. K. Macrosson ◽  
G. C. Strachan
Keyword(s):  
Golden Section ◽  
Aesthetic Preference ◽  
Line Segments ◽  
Aesthetic Properties ◽  
Experimental Subjects ◽  
The Aesthetic

In experimental enquiries into the aesthetic properties of the golden section, investigators have tended to employ tests which either require the subjects to generate an artifact or require the subjects to choose between artifacts shown to them. These researchers have assumed that the findings from each type of test are equally valid. This assumption was investigated and shown to be tenable for the partitioning of line segments. Experimental subjects ( N=57) expressed an aesthetic preference for the same line partitioning ratios irrespective of the type of test employed.

From Selz to Gigerenzer: A thought-psychological research history, which needs a Popperian, fallibilist theory of rationality to effectively develop

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 439-457 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Wettersten
Keyword(s):  
Philosophy Of Science ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Psychological Research ◽  
Karl Popper ◽  
Thought Processes ◽  
Herbert Simon ◽  
Research History

Two sharply separated traditions in the philosophy of science and in thought psychology began with Otto Selz’s psychology. The first tradition began with Karl Popper; it has been developed by many others. The developers of the second tradition have included Julius Bahle, Adriaan de Groot, Herbert Simon, and Gerd Gigerenzer. The first tradition has ignored empirical studies of thought processes. The second tradition is widely based on Simon’s inductivist philosophy. The first tradition can be improved by integrating empirical studies of rationality into its research. The second tradition can be improved by replacing its inductivist assumptions with a fallibilist framework.

Contraste, Dissonanzen, Missklänge: Zum Verhältnis von Idylle und Tourismus in literarischen Schweiz-Reisen des 19. Jahrhunderts (Ida Hahn-Hahn, Hans Christian Andersen)

2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-56
Author(s):  
Christian Schmitt
Keyword(s):  
19Th Century ◽  
The Other ◽  
Hans Christian Andersen ◽  
The Aesthetic ◽  
The One ◽  
The 19Th Century ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract The discrepancy between common temporary expectations of Switzerland as idyll on the one hand, and the reality of its industrially organized tourism on the other, imposes irritations upon the touristic gaze. This article, then, traces the origins of this discrepancy and examines the relationship between Swiss idyll and tourism in the 19th century. The analyses of Ida Hahn-Hahn’s Eine Idylle and Hans Christian Andersen’s Iisjomfruen showcase different ways of relating idyll and tourism to one another as well as the aesthetic merit produced by this constellation.

Media portrayals of older employees: a success story?

2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 583-597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martine van Selm ◽  
Beatrice I.J.M. Van der Heijden
Keyword(s):  
Mass Media ◽  
Older Workers ◽  
Longitudinal Research ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Empirical Work ◽  
Corporate Communication ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Media Portrayals ◽  
Older Employees ◽  
Age Related

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of how portrayals of older employees in mass media messages can help combating stereotypical beliefs on their employability. Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted a systematic review of empirical studies on mass media portrayals of older employees in order to show what these reveal about the ways in which their employment status, occupation, job type, or work setting is portrayed. The approach builds upon theory on media portrayals, media effects, and stereotypes of older workers’ employability. Findings – This study shows that older employees in media portrayals, when present at all, are relatively often shown in higher-level professional roles, herewith overall, depicting an image that is positive, yet differs from stereotypical beliefs on their employability that are prevalent in working organizations. Research limitations/implications – Further empirical work is needed to more safely conclude on the prevalence of age-related portrayals of work and employment in mass media. In addition, longitudinal research is called for in order to better understand the possible causes for the way in which older employees are portrayed, as well as effects of age-related stereotyping in mass media and corporate communication outlets over time. Practical implications – This research sparks ideas about how new portrayals of older employees in mass media and corporate communication outlets can contribute to novel approaches to managing an aging and multi-generational workforce. Social implications – This study shows how working organizations can make use of the positive and powerful media portrayals of older employees, in order to activate normal and non-ageist behaviors toward them, and herewith, to increase their life-long employability. Originality/value – This study highlights the role of media portrayals of older employees in combating stereotypes about their employability.

scholarly journals Environmental and psychological research on sandpits as children's play equipment, children's play, and the importance of sandpits in children's development and cultural creation

Impact ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (4) ◽  
pp. 16-18
Author(s):  
Hiroyuki Kasama
Keyword(s):  
19Th Century ◽  
Growth And Development ◽  
Psychological Research ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Women's College ◽  
Children's Play ◽  
Developmental Growth ◽  
Children’S Play ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Sandpits are commonly found in playgrounds but in a world full of high-tech entertainment is their role in the developmental growth of young children undervalued? Professor Hiroyuki Kasama, Doshisha Women's College, Japan, is exploring the impact of sandpits on children, including the role they can play in deepening the relationship between parent and child. Sandpits first came about in Europe in the mid-19th century but have recently become unfavourable to many parents who consider them to be 'dirty' play. However, playing with sand yields important benefits, including the use of natural materials and the fact it provides a valuable sensory experience that enables children to build on emotional, social and athletic skills. Kasama is investigating the important potential of sandpits as well as working on childcare and education programmes that use sandpits for learning. Kasama is keen to improve the sandpit environment by standardising the type of sand used in order to make play more effective and observing the suitability of the sand by observing children's play and the reactions of their caregivers. Kasama and the team have also supervised the installation of indoor sandpits that can be used year-round. Ultimately, by clarifying the significance and necessity of playing with sand and discovering its potential, Kasama is aiming to provide children with effective environments that promote growth and development.

scholarly journals An N-Pact Factor for Clinical Psychological Research

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen Wade Reardon ◽  
Avante J Smack ◽  
Kathrin Herzhoff ◽  
Jennifer L Tackett
Keyword(s):  
Sample Size ◽  
Statistical Power ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Psychological Research ◽  
Medium Effect ◽  
Medium Effect Size ◽  
One Step ◽  
Hard To Reach Populations ◽  
Self Examination ◽  
Adequate Sample Size

Although an emphasis on adequate sample size and statistical power has a long history in clinical psychological science (Cohen, 1992), increased attention to the replicability of scientific findings has again turned attention to the importance of statistical power (Bakker, van Dijk, & Wicherts, 2012). These recent efforts have not yet circled back to modern clinical psychological research, despite the continued importance of sample size and power in producing a credible body of evidence. As one step in this process of scientific self-examination, the present study estimated an N-pact Factor (the statistical power of published empirical studies to detect typical effect sizes; Fraley & Vazire, 2014) in two leading clinical journals (the Journal of Abnormal Psychology; JAP, and the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology; JCCP) for the years 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015. Study sample size, as one proxy for statistical power, is a useful focus because it allows direct comparisons with other subfields and may highlight some of the core methodological differences between clinical and other areas (e.g., hard-to-reach populations, greater emphasis on correlational designs). We found that, across all years examined, the average median sample size in clinical research is 179 participants (175 for JAP and 182 for JCCP). The power to detect a small-medium effect size of .20 is just below 80% for both journals. Although the clinical N-pact factor was higher than that estimated for social psychology, the statistical power in clinical journals is still limited to detect many effects of interest to clinical psychologists, with little evidence of improvement in sample sizes over time.

scholarly journals Preprint of "Response Surface Analysis in Personality and Social Psychology: Checklist and Clarifications for the Case of Congruence Hypotheses"

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Humberg ◽  
Steffen Nestler ◽  
Mitja Back
Keyword(s):  
Social Psychology ◽  
Response Surface ◽  
Surface Analysis ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Response Surface Analysis ◽  
Psychological Effects ◽  
Outcome Variable ◽  
Congruence Effect ◽  
Social Psychological ◽  
Psychological Constructs

Response Surface Analysis (RSA) enables researchers to test complex psychological effects, for example, whether the congruence of two psychological constructs is associated with higher values in an outcome variable. RSA is increasingly applied in the personality and social psychological literature, but the validity of published results has been challenged by some persistent oversimplifications and misconceptions. Here, we describe the mathematical fundamentals required to interpret RSA results, and we provide a checklist for correctly identifying congruence effects. We clarify two prominent fallacies by showing that the test of a single RSA parameter cannot indicate a congruence effect, and when there is a congruence effect, RSA cannot indicate whether a predictor mismatch in one direction (e.g., overestimation of one’s intelligence) is better or worse than a mismatch in the other direction (underestimation). We hope that this contribution will further enhance the validity and strength of empirical studies that apply this powerful approach.Humberg, S., Nestler, S., & Back, M. D. (2019). Response Surface Analysis in Personality and Social Psychology: Checklist and Clarifications for the Case of Congruence Hypotheses. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 10(3), 409–419. doi:10.1177/1948550618757600The journal version of this article can be found at: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1948550618757600

scholarly journals Jardines renacentistas de la Villa Ducal de Benavente. El sueño de una utopía

Imafronte ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Jose Miguel Morales Folguera
Keyword(s):  
19Th Century ◽  
El Paso ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Three Generations ◽  
Continuous Care ◽  
Siglo Xix ◽  
The Aesthetic ◽  
The 19Th Century

Construidos por tres generaciones de los condes-duques de Benavente, entre 1499 y 1621, como instrumento de disfrute y de prestigio familiar de la villa ducal, los jardines de Benavente se convirtieron en uno de los jardines renacentistas más importantes de España. Desgraciadamente, los cambios en los gustos estéticos de los herederos, el paso de los ejércitos franceses de Napoleón y el abandono de una naturaleza necesitada de su continuo cuidado, hicieron que los jardines desaparecieran en los primeros años del siglo XIX. En este artículo nos proponemos hacer su reconstrucción ideal, con la utilización de los numerosos textos y de la documentación existente. Built for three generations of the count-dukes of Benavente, between 1499 and 1621, as an instrument of enjoyment and family prestige of the ducal town, the Benavente gardens became one of the most important Renaissance gardens in Spain. Unfortunately, the changes in the aesthetic tastes of the heirs, the destruction wrought by Napoleon's army and the abandonment of a nature in need of their continuous care, caused the gardens to disappear in the early years of the 19th century. In this article we propose to make its ideal reconstruction, with the use of the numerous texts and existing documentation.

scholarly journals Phases of the moon: a study of 19th century scientific book illustrations providing a comprehensive catalogue for the first three editions of James Nasmyth & James Carpenter's The Moon: considered as a planet, a world, and a satellite

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Margaret Ramsey
Keyword(s):  
19Th Century ◽  
Lunar Surface ◽  
Book Production ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Scientific Contribution ◽  
Amateur Astronomer ◽  
Book Illustrations ◽  
The Aesthetic ◽  
Phases Of The Moon

James Hall Nasmyth (1808–1890) was an accomplished engineer and amateur astronomer. The culmination of Nasmyth's drawings from telescopic observation, the advent of photomechanical print processes, and his interest in the causative features of the lunar surface, led to the 1874 publication of The Moon: Considered as a Planet, a World, and a Satellite. This thesis provides a comprehensive catalogue of the lunar illustrations in the first three editions, revealing the aesthetic variations in the illustrative plates due to reproduction and print processes used. These processes include: engraving, photogravure, heliotype, lithograph, chromolithograph, and four different variations of the Woodburytype. The editions are contextualized using scientific photographs as illustrations, through a discussion of astronomy, book production, and Nasmyth's biography. Through an examination of Nasmyth's use of photography and permanent print processes, this thesis argues that his lunar illustrations remain an important scientific contribution.

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