A Functional Analysis of “Aesthetic”: A Commentary on Mechner

Abstract

In his target article, Mechner provides a bio-behavioral analysis of effects called “aesthetic.” He then examines hundreds of such effects across a wide range of literary, artistic, and scientific disciplines and concludes that they consist of a composite of elements that produce what he calls “surprise-tinged” emotional responses in individuals with an appropriate learning history. In my commentary, I first suggest an operational, or functional, analysis of some of the terms Mechner uses in his analysis, including “surprise, “familiar,” and “priming.” I then provide a brief functional analysis of stimuli we call “aesthetic,” “artistic,” or “beautiful.” In so doing, I use my own history with music and as a musician to address two general questions about behavior we call “aesthetic”: what kinds of responses occur and under what circumstances, and what kinds of learning histories might be responsible for them? Although I identify some problems with Mechner’s interpretation, for example, that he introduces several vague concepts and often opts for explanations that are circular and that do not identify basic behavioral principles, in general I commend him for tackling such a complex topic in such a thorough and thoughtful manner.