Journal article
A social dimension to enjoyment of negative emotion in art reception
Brock Bastian
BEHAVIORAL AND BRAIN SCIENCES | CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS | Published : 2017
Abstract
The proposed model overlooks the contribution of a relational/prosocial dimension to the enjoyment of negative emotion in art reception. Negative experiences have a unique capacity to build social bonds and may also increase motivation to "connect" with the artist. This affiliative motivation ensures that people experience an artwork as more emotional, more intense, more interesting, and ultimately more rewarding.