A research team at the University of Vienna investigated why viewing art can significantly increase well-being and self-esteem. While previous findings on this topic already exist, the new meta-study has now combined data from 38 studies with 6,800 participants to demonstrate the effectiveness of art.
The following five mechanisms were identified: affective, cognitive, social, self-transformative and those that strengthen resilience.
- Affective mechanisms include emotion regulation and the experience of pleasure.
- Cognitive mechanisms include attention, memory and learning – art can stimulate thought or arouse curiosity.
- Social mechanisms describe how shared art experiences promote connections and reduce feelings of isolation.
- Self-transformative mechanisms enable personal reflection, identity strengthening and a sense of meaning.
- Resilience-enhancing mechanisms support emotional coping and recovery, particularly in clinical or highly stressful environments.
The authors of the study, led by MacKenzie Trupp, see this as a cost-effective and effective means of supporting mental health.
The study was published in the Journal of Positive Psychology and is among others here to obtain.