Sensory Exploitation: Underestimated in the Evolution of Art As Once in Sexual Selection Theory?

Abstract

In this chapter we argue that sensory exploitation, a model from sexual selection theory, deserves more attention in evolutionary thinking about art than it has received until now. We base our argument on the observation that in the past, sensory exploitation may have been underestimated in sexual selection theory, but that it is now winning field. Likewise, we expect that sensory exploitation can play a more substantial role in modeling the evolution of artistic behavior. Darwin’s theory of sexual selection provides a mechanistic basis to explain the evolution of male display traits. This mechanistic approach has proven useful to developing hypotheses about the evolution of human art. Both Boyd and Richerson (1985, ch. 8) and Miller (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001) have applied an indirect-benefit model from sexual selection to the evolution of artistic behavior. We argue that the mechanistic possibilities sensory exploitation has to offer as a model have remained underexplored so far, so we propose a concept based upon it. From the sensory exploitation perspective it follows that exploitation of pre-existing human perceptual and mental biases is a primary force in the evolution of artistic behavior (we stress that the use of a model from sexual selection does not imply art making evolved as a sexual display — we only use it for its mechanism) and that the indirect benefit model only provides secondary forces. Thus, sensory exploitation may operate alone under most conditions, and only sporadically secondary processes as a result of beneficial effects on individuals or groups are expected to kick in. The concept of sensory exploitation will need to play a central role in articulating all of the existing hypotheses about art.