American scientists from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio have discovered a significant link between love of art and a person’s sense of meaning in life. The study was published in the scientific journal broadcasting Journal of Positive Psychology (JPP).
Previous research had shown that engagement with art could provide meaningful experiences, but there was little empirical evidence to support the theoretical claims of aesthetic cognitivism (a school of thought that studies mental processes).
In the new study, the team conducted two studies. The first involved 100 students with varying experiences and attitudes toward art. The volunteers completed an online survey to measure their level of interest in art and their experiences interacting with various pieces.
The second study expanded on the first experiment by recruiting a larger and more diverse sample of 1,862 participants.
Results showed that aesthetic experiences in response to art were consistently positively associated with higher levels of meaning in life.
Earlier scientists I learnedConstantly reading bad news deprives people of the sense of meaning in life.