Details of Research Outputs

Aesthetic appreciation of art is not solely determined by intrinsic properties of the artwork, such as visual complexity. Extrinsic factors related to the observer, such as their visual working memory capacity, which enables real-time storage and manipulation of visual information, also play a role in shaping aesthetic appreciation. In this study, we investigated the contributions of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors to the aesthetic appreciation of traditional Chinese ink landscape paintings. Our results showed that an individual's visual working memory capacity predicts the extent to which they enjoy the paintings from their own culture. This work provides new insights into the relationship between the viewer's cognitive ability and intrinsic properties of artwork in aesthetic appreciation in the Chinese context.