Brain reacts differently to images labeled as art, Dutch study finds

A study by Erasmus University Rotterdam led by Noah van Dongen found that the human brain processes images differently when they are labeled as art. Using EEG on 24 students, researchers showed pleasant and unpleasant images, telling participants which were "real" and which were artworks. The brain responded less emotionally and more rationally to art-labeled images, focusing on color and composition rather than content. The study references Immanuel Kant's theory of disinterested contemplation from the Critique of Judgment (1790). Critics like Jonathan Jones in The Guardian note that art also involves emotion and action. The experiment raises questions about the image set used and the role of photography. The research was published in 2016 and reported by ScienceDaily.