Aesthetic Thinking of Young Children and Adolescents: A Developmental Study
Author: Jo Chiung-Hua Chen(Department of Fine Arts,National Taiwan Normal University)
Vol.&No.：Vol. 45
Date：October 2000
Pages：45-65
DOI：10.6210/JNTNULL.2000.45.04
Abstract：
This study aims to examine and clarify the developmental growth of young people's thinking about art. The objectives of the study are to investigate how young children and adolescents at different grade levels think about the relationship between : 1 ) a picture and the world ,2) beholders and pictures, 3) artists and picture, 4) artists and beholders, and to 5) compare the findings of Freeman (1995) with the present study.
The sample population of students were randomly drawn from grades 3,5,6 of elementary public school, and grades 2 of junior and senior high public school in Taipei and Kinmen. The students were asked to respond to ten structured questions from the study of Freeman (1995).
The results of data analysis reveals that the ability to differentiate the roles of artist and beholder increased with grade level. Younger students tend to emerge these roles. They often think of themselves as artists and beholders. Therefore, they feel confident in inferring artists' feelings from the pictures, and agree that artists always think of other people's opinion when they create their works. Younger students also indicate that artists' feelings determine picture qualities. Around grade 5 or 6, the roles of artist and beholder are gradually differentiated. Senior students are able to appreciate the ability of an artist. They think not everyone can be an artist, and feel uncomfortable in inferring artists' feelings from the pictures. When the individuals become aware of the differences between the artist and beholder, the roles of these two become distinct. This finding does not support the suggestion of Freeman who argued that a conception of the role of the artist in picture production emerges before a conception of the role of the beholder.
Keywords：Aesthetic thinking, Aesthetic objects, Aesthetic education, Aesthetic abilities, Aesthetic experience
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