Fluency, prediction and motivation: how processing dynamics, expectations and epistemic goals shape aesthetic judgements

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cris.lastimport.scopus2025-06-25T03:11:16Z
dc.abstract.enWhat psychological mechanisms underlie aesthetic judgements? An influential account known as the Hedonic Marking of Fluency, later developed into a Processing Fluency Theory of Aesthetic Pleasure, posits that ease of processing elicits positive feelings and thus enhances stimulus evaluations. However, the theory faces empirical and conceptual challenges. In this paper, we extend it by integrating insights from predictive processing frameworks (PPF) and the epistemic motivation model (EMM). We propose four extensions. First, fluency of a stimulus depends on perceivers' expectations-their internal model of the world. Second, perceivers also form expectations about fluency itself and thus can experience surprising fluency. These expectations can come from the individual's history, their current task and their environment. Third, perceivers can value fluency but also disfluency, reflecting their non-directional epistemic goals. Fourth, perceivers also have directional epistemic goals, preferring specific conclusions or belief content. Consequently, affective reactions depend on whether the stimulus satisfies those goals. These directional epistemic goals may override concerns about fluency or change the value of fluency associated with specific content. We review supporting evidence and introduce novel predictions. By integrating insights from PPF and EMM, our framework can better capture established fluency effects and highlights their limitations and extensions. This article is part of the theme issue 'Art, aesthetics and predictive processing: theoretical and empirical perspectives'.
dc.affiliationInstytut Psychologii
dc.contributor.authorYoo, Jenny
dc.contributor.authorJasko, Katarzyna
dc.contributor.authorWinkielman, Piotr
dc.date.access2023-12-18
dc.date.accessioned2024-01-08T08:43:33Z
dc.date.available2024-01-08T08:43:33Z
dc.date.created2023-11-21
dc.date.issued2023-12-18
dc.description.abstract<jats:p>What psychological mechanisms underlie aesthetic judgements? An influential account known as the Hedonic Marking of Fluency, later developed into a Processing Fluency Theory of Aesthetic Pleasure, posits that ease of processing elicits positive feelings and thus enhances stimulus evaluations. However, the theory faces empirical and conceptual challenges. In this paper, we extend it by integrating insights from predictive processing frameworks (PPF) and the epistemic motivation model (EMM). We propose four extensions. First, fluency of a stimulus depends on perceivers' expectations—their internal model of the world. Second, perceivers also form expectations about fluency itself and thus can experience surprising fluency. These expectations can come from the individual's history, their current task and their environment. Third, perceivers can value fluency but also disfluency, reflecting their non-directional epistemic goals. Fourth, perceivers also have directional epistemic goals, preferring specific conclusions or belief content. Consequently, affective reactions depend on whether the stimulus satisfies those goals. These directional epistemic goals may override concerns about fluency or change the value of fluency associated with specific content. We review supporting evidence and introduce novel predictions. By integrating insights from PPF and EMM, our framework can better capture established fluency effects and highlights their limitations and extensions.</jats:p> <jats:p>This article is part of the theme issue ‘Art, aesthetics and predictive processing: theoretical and empirical perspectives’.</jats:p>
dc.description.accesstimeat_publication
dc.description.issue1895
dc.description.physical1-12
dc.description.versionfinal_published
dc.description.volume379
dc.identifier.doidoi.org/10.1098/rstb.2023.0326
dc.identifier.issn0962-8436
dc.identifier.issn1471-2970
dc.identifier.urihttps://share.swps.edu.pl/handle/swps/303
dc.languageen
dc.pbn.affiliationpsychologia
dc.rightsCC-BY
dc.rights.questionYes_rights
dc.share.articleOTHER
dc.subject.enaesthetics
dc.subject.enepistemic motivation model
dc.subject.enevaluation
dc.subject.enfluency
dc.subject.enpredictive processing framework
dc.swps.sciencecloudsend
dc.titleFluency, prediction and motivation: how processing dynamics, expectations and epistemic goals shape aesthetic judgements
dc.title.journalPhilosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
dc.typeJournalArticle
dspace.entity.typeArticle