| Art's transformative potential was examined by addressing two separate questions: Why would art have the capability to literally transform its audience and how is it that this transformation happens? The first question was addressed by examining artists' motivational maps by probing their word usage for evidence of emotional conflict and instability that accompanies transformative processes. In an archival study comparing word usage of writers and physicists, we found evidence that writers exceed physicists in use of emotion words, particularly negative emotion words. This leads to the conclusion that it is due to the presence of conflict-ridden, shared motivational maps between the artists and their audiences, communicated from one to the other though the tangible piece of art, that art contains potential to transform. The second question was addressed by examining through what channels art impacts personality in three experiments, the first dealing with literature, the second with music, and the third with visual art. We found that literature caused greater change in emotions, and music greater change in traits, than their respective non-art controls. The results were inconclusive for impact of visual art on indices of change. Factors moderating art's effect on indices of change were examined as well. We found that high level of daily hassles consistently enhances change indices across the experiments. There is also consistent evidence that art can move emotionally highly defensive individuals, who are non-responsive to non-art. We hope the ideas and research presented in this dissertation provide a beginning step in further exploration of mechanisms underlying art's impact on personality. |
