Study Notes for exam-ARt and Psyche.docx

23/FA HPD-3623-R Art & Psyche – Fall 2023 Material for Exam 111/16/2023 What is Social Consciousness? Social consciousness refers to an individual's or a collective group's awareness, understanding, and sensitivity to social issues, challenges, and injustices present in society. It involves a heightened recognition and concern for the well-being and rights of various social groups or communities. 1. Awareness It involves being informed and knowledgeable about social issues, such as poverty, inequality, discrimination, human rights, environmental concerns, and other systemic problems within society. 2. Empathy and Concern Social consciousness is characterized by a sense of empathy and concern for the struggles and challenges faced by marginalized or oppressed groups. It involves recognizing and acknowledging the suffering or inequalities experienced by others. 3. Action and Advocacy: Social consciousness often motivates individuals or groups to take action, advocate for change, or engage in efforts to address societal issues. This can manifest in various ways, such as participating in protests, supporting social causes, volunteering, or advocating for policy changes. 4. Critical Thinking and Reflection: It involves critically analyzing societal norms, structures, and power dynamics to understand the root causes of social issues. It encourages reflection on how individuals or society as a whole can contribute to positive change. 5. Collective Responsibility: Social consciousness often leads to the recognition that societal issues require collective efforts and responsibility. It emphasizes the need for collaboration and solidarity to bring about positive social change. What is Culture? Culture refers to the shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that characterize a particular group of people, including their traditions, language, social practices, art, and way of life. It encompasses the learned and shared patterns of behavior and understanding that distinguish one group from another, shaping their identity and influencing their interactions, perceptions, and societal norms. Social Dissonance Social Dissonance: Social dissonance refers to the discomfort that arises from the conflict between an individual's social relationships or interactions and their personal beliefs or preferences. This conflict can occur when social pressures or expectations clash with an individual's personal values or desires, causing internal discomfort or tension. CULTURAL DISSONANCE: Cultural dissonance is an uncomfortable sense of discord, disharmony, confusion or conflict experienced by people in the midst of change in their cultural environment. THREE RESPONSES TO CULTURAL DISSONANCE These suggest a framework for understanding how individuals or groups might react to cultural dissonance, which refers to the conflict or discomfort one experiences when faced with cultural beliefs, values, or norms that differ from their own. Here is a brief description of each response: 1. Reject: This response involves outright rejection of the new or conflicting cultural values. Individuals or groups may refuse to accept or acknowledge the different cultural elements, maintaining their own cultural norms and dismissing the other as invalid or inferior. 2. Revise: In this response, individuals or groups may alter some of their own cultural beliefs or behaviors to accommodate or integrate the new cultural elements. This doesn't necessarily mean a complete overhaul of one's cultural identity but could involve a selective or partial adaptation to reduce the dissonance. 3. Reflect: This response is characterized by thoughtful consideration and introspection. Rather than immediate rejection or revision, individuals or groups take time to contemplate the differences, their own beliefs, and the reasons for the dissonance. This can lead to a deeper understanding of both cultures and may eventually inform whether to reject, revise, or even embrace the new cultural aspects. These responses can be used to analyze how individuals and societies manage cultural dissonance, which can be particularly relevant in multicultural settings, migration studies, or when examining the impacts of globalization. DOES ART REFLECT OR CREATE CULTURE? From a psychological perspective, the relationship between art and culture is complex and reciprocal. Art both reflects and creates culture, and this dynamic interaction is often referred to as a dialectical relationship. Art as a Reflection of Culture: Art often mirrors the values, beliefs, norms, and concerns of a society. Artists are influenced by the world around them, and their work frequently serves as a reflection of the cultural context in which they live. 2. Art as a Creator of Culture: Art also has the power to influence and shape culture. It can challenge societal norms, provoke new ways of thinking, and introduce novel ideas or perspectives. Artists often push boundaries, introducing new concepts, styles, or forms that may ultimately become integrated into the cultural fabric. Through its innovative and sometimes controversial nature, art can lead to cultural change, driving conversations and shaping societal attitudes and behaviors. THE ELABORATION LIKELIHOOD MODEL (ELM) The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) is a theory that describes how people process persuasive messages and make decisions. It outlines two distinct routes through which individuals can be persuaded: the central route and the peripheral route. 1. Central Route The central route to persuasion in the Elaboration Likelihood Model involves a deep, thoughtful, and systematic evaluation of the message. When individuals take the central route, they critically analyze and deeply process the information. They focus on the content of the message, weigh the arguments, and consider the logic and evidence presented. This route is characterized by high elaboration, where people carefully consider the message, its merits, and the implications before forming an opinion or making a decision. 2. Peripheral Route The peripheral route to persuasion involves a less thoughtful, more superficial evaluation of the message. When individuals use the peripheral route, they focus less on the actual content and more on peripheral cues such as the appearance of the source, catchphrases, or other superficial aspects of the message. The decision-making process is influenced by heuristics, emotions, or simple associations without deeply considering the core arguments. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ART AND PROPAGANDA? Sometimes the message is to promote a SPECIFIC attitude or behavior. 1. Intent: Art aims at expressing emotions, ideas, or beauty, whereas propaganda's primary intent is to persuade or manipulate opinions towards a specific agenda or ideology. 2. Openness to Interpretation: Art generally allows for open interpretation, encouraging diverse viewpoints, whereas propaganda often presents a clear and singular message, limiting alternative perspectives. 3. Freedom and Expression: Art is created with a considerable degree of freedom, allowing artists to express themselves creatively, while propaganda is often created within constraints to serve a specific purpose or authority. However, it's important to note that there can be a fine line between art and propaganda. Sometimes, art can be used as a tool for propaganda, and propaganda can be presented in artistic or visually appealing ways to enhance its persuasive impact. As a result, certain pieces of art may be seen as both artistic and propagandistic, depending on the context, intent, and audience's interpretation. WHat are the WELL KNOWN PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES THAT ARE USED TO MANIPULATE THE VIEWER'S EMOTIONS? 1. Stereotypes It was common for posters to represent a particular group of people (usually in a very racist way) using stereotypes. A stereotype is an over-simpliﬁcation of what a particular racial group looks like. For example, Chinese people in the 19th century were drawn with a long pony-tail in their hair. Propaganda uses stereotypes so that audiences can readily identify which people group is the target of the poster. Getting to know common stereotypes can be quite confronting for us, since they can be very racist in nature. However, once you become familiar with common forms of stereotyping, you can identify the appropriate people group being targeted in a particular poster. 2. Symbolism Just like political cartoons, propaganda posters use simple objects, or symbols, that the general public would be familiar with. These symbols are used to represent important concepts or ideas. For example, using a ‘skull and crossbones’ could represent ‘death’ or ‘danger’. While you’re interpreting a poster, identify any symbols and try to work out what concept the image is meant to represent. Text Posters will often include short sections of information: either statistics or statements. This information is meant to provide the audience with just enough data for them to draw the conclusion the creator wanted them to make. When you are looking at the poster, it is worth asking whether the information provided is completely accurate or what other information has been left out. Finally, try to work out why the propaganda wanted the audience to know about the specific information they have presented. For example, how does this information help persuade the audience? Connection with the audience Posters will try to connect directly with their audiences though a number of techniques. They will either use the second person pronoun "you" in the text, ask a rhetorical question that the audience is meant to think about, or it will have people in the poster looking directly at the viewer. Propaganda does this in order to make the audience feel like they need to respond in some way. 5. Appeal to Emotion Propaganda will try to play on a person's emotions in order to prompt them to respond. The most frequent emotional responses posters try to generate are: guilt (e.g., making the audience feel like they have failed), patriotism (e.g., appealing to the love of their country), fear (e.g., that if they don't act, something bad will happen), or shame (e.g., that they are weak, cowardly or selfish). Call to Action Almost every propaganda poster has a statement about what their audience should do after seeing the poster. For example: 'Enlist Today!' or 'Buy War Bonds'. The call to action is often the best way to determine the poster's purpose and intended audience. Bandwagon Based on the opinion that the majority opinion is always valid ("everybody's doing it! 1 billion Chinese can't be wrong!) Glittering generalities Using vague and empty but vague and comforting language to associate with a product or idea, ie: "Be fancy free and full of fun with Budweiser Beer!" Testimonials Invoking the support of an expert or someone famous that we want to emulate Transfer Transferring good feelings about one thing and transferring it to another product or idea, ie: why beautiful models stand next to products. Name calling Attempt at persuasion by insulting the viewer instead of by rational argument: if you don't buy this, you are a loser! CAN ART PROMOTE SOCIAL BEHAVIORS Both creation and consumption of art are positively associated with prosocial traits and behaviors. For behaviors the higher correlation was found with the consumption of art. This holds true across all types of social media. "All types of art creation and consumption, regardless of genres had significant correlation with all three forms of prosocial behaviors: donating, volunteering and informal with only a few exceptions." THE HARRY POTTER EFFECT Psychologist Loris Vezzali and colleagues worked with 34 Italian fifth-grade students in small groups. Each group met with researchers once a week to read and discuss passages from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. The researchers assigned the small groups to one of two conditions. In the experimental condition, children read passages about the consequences of prejudice. In one passage, the character Draco called Harry’s friend Hermione a “filthy little Mudblood” (an insult to wizards of non-wizard parents). A narration of Hermione’s humiliation and Harry’s anger followed the insult. n the control condition, children read a passage unrelated to prejudice. For example, Harry bought his first magic wand in one of the control passages. Six weeks later, the researchers asked the children how they felt about students from different countries. Children in the experimental condition expressed warmer feelings towards international students than those in the control condition. In follow-up studies with teenagers and adults, Vezzali and his colleagues found that people who identified with Harry Potter conveyed openness to gay people and refugees. Why This Works When people identify with fictional characters who support marginalized groups, they start to take the perspective of marginalized groups in both fictional and real-life settings. When This Works Best This works best when people do not already hold extremely prejudiced views about stigmatized people. WHAT ARE SOME POSSIBLE MECHANISMS FOR ART AND SOCIAL CHANGE? There are three components to art that produce changes in individuals toward empathy: Simulation – Literature, movies and comics offer a simulation of the social world from the point of view of people in other circumstances. Personality Fluctuations - "Stylistic devices prompt disturbances in our usually fixed schemas of personality" Indirect Communication – Literature (screenplay) is characterized in a way that invites inferences rathe facts Social Psychology Terms : 1. Altruistic Motivation: - Acting for the well-being of others without expecting personal gain. 2. Bandwagon: - The tendency for people to adopt certain behaviors or beliefs because many others are doing so. 3. Central Route of Persuasion: - The process of attitude change through thoughtful consideration of arguments and information. 4. Cognitive Empathy: - Understanding and sharing another person&#39;s thoughts and feelings. 5. Cultural Dissonance: - Conflict or discomfort arising from differences between one&#39;s cultural beliefs and those of the larger society. 6. Egotistic Motivation: - Motivation driven by self-interest and personal gain. 7. Einfulung: - The German term for empathy or feeling into another person&#39;s perspective. 8. Elaboration Likelihood Model: - A model explaining how people process persuasive messages, distinguishing between central and peripheral routes. 9. Emotional Empathy: - Feeling the emotions of others without necessarily understanding their thoughts or perspectives. 10. Glittering Generalities: - Using vague, positive-sounding words or phrases to evoke positive feelings without providing specific details. 11. Modeling: - Learning by observing and imitating others. 12. Name Calling: - Using derogatory terms or labels to evoke a negative emotional response in others. 13. Social Psychology: - The scientific study of how individuals think, feel, and behave in social situations. 14. Peripheral Route of Persuasion: - The process of attitude change through cues unrelated to the actual content of the message. 15. Plain Folks: - Presenting oneself as an average or ordinary person to gain trust and credibility. 16. Propaganda: - Information, often biased or misleading, used to promote a particular political cause or point of view. 17. Prosocial Behaviors: - Actions that benefit others or society as a whole. 18. Social Consciousness: - Awareness of and concern for social issues and the well-being of others. 19. Social Dissonance: - The discomfort or conflict that arises when one&#39;s attitudes or behaviors are inconsistent with each other. 20. Social Learning Theory: - A theory proposing that people learn by observing and imitating others. 21. Stereotypes: - Simplified, generalized beliefs about a group of people. 22. Theory of Mind: - The ability to understand and attribute mental states, such as beliefs and intentions, to oneself and others. Social Conciousness Social consciousness refers to an individual&#39;s or a collective group&#39;s awareness, understanding, and sensitivity to social issues, challenges, and injustices present in society. It involves a heightened recognition and concern for the well-being and rights of various social groups or communities. Key aspects of social consciousness include: 1. Awareness: It involves being informed and knowledgeable about social issues, such as poverty, inequality, discrimination, human rights, environmental concerns, and other systemic problems within society. 2. Empathy and Concern: Social consciousness is characterized by a sense of empathy and concern for the struggles and challenges faced by marginalized or oppressed groups. It involves recognizing and acknowledging the suffering or inequalities experienced by others. 3. Action and Advocacy: Social consciousness often motivates individuals or groups to take action, advocate for change, or engage in efforts to address societal issues. This can manifest in various ways, such as participating in protests, supporting social causes, volunteering, or advocating for policy changes. 4. Critical Thinking and Reflection:It involves critically analyzing societal norms, structures, and power dynamics to understand the root causes of social issues. It encourages reflection on how individuals or society as a whole can contribute to positive change. 5. Collective Responsibility: Social consciousness often leads to the recognition that societal issues require collective efforts and responsibility. It emphasizes the need for collaboration and solidarity to bring about positive social change. Social consciousness plays a vital role in promoting social justice, equality, and overall improvement in society. It encourages individuals to be more socially aware, active, and engaged in making the world a better place for everyone. Be prepared to Answer in essay form: Define cultural dissonance and distinguish it from social and cognitive dissonance by analyzing their unique characteristics and psychological underpinnings. Using theoretical frameworks from both psychology and cultural studies, discuss how these forms of dissonance manifest in individuals' experiences when confronted with conflicting values, beliefs, or behaviors. Illustrate your analysis with a personal reflection on an encounter with cultural dissonance, detailing your cognitive and emotional responses, coping strategies, and the subsequent impact on your worldview. Further, evaluate the broader societal implications of cultural dissonance in promoting social change or maintaining the status quo. Examine the psychological impact and societal reactions to controversial works of art, such as Andres Serrano's 'Piss Christ' and Chris Ofili's 'The Holy Virgin Mary.' How do these artworks challenge cultural and religious norms, and what does this reveal about the role of art in both reflecting and shaping societal values and beliefs? Discuss the concept of cultural dissonance in the context of these artworks, analyzing how and why such pieces can elicit strong emotional responses and public debate. Additionally, consider the ethical implications of using provocative symbols in art from both the artist's and the public's perspectives. Feel free to use other controversial artworks as an example. What are some of the qualities of propaganda? Do you agree with the assertion that the quality of propaganda is to inhibit independent thought and to adopt specific attitudes and behaviors? What kind of exposure to social media is in your world? Ads or social media memes for example? What elements of art make them more persuasive? Analyze the representation of minority groups across various forms of media and art, focusing on disparities in both quantity and quality. Discuss how these representations have evolved over time and identify the factors that have influenced these changes. Critically evaluate the implications of these representations for minority groups and society as a whole, considering concepts from social psychology such as stereotype formation, self-identity, and intergroup relations. Furthermore, explore why balanced representation is crucial and the potential consequences of its absence. Finally, propose strategies for more equitable and authentic representation in media and art, supported by case studies (actual examples) or theoretical models (ideas you might have about how to improve exposure for minority artists. Evaluate the relationship between engagement with literature and the development of empathy, incorporating research from both literary criticism and social psychology. Discuss the concept of narrative empathy and its potential to foster social and emotional understanding. Are you persuaded by the evidence that suggests a causal link between reading certain types of literature and increased empathic skills? Elaborate on your position by critically analyzing the 'Harry Potter Effect' or another selected work of art—be it a piece of literature, visual art, film, or music—detailing how it may contribute to or challenge the development of empathy in its audience. In your analysis, consider psychological theories of empathy, the role of mirror neurons, identification with characters, and the potential for art to serve as a simulation of social experience. Assess the role of art across various media in enacting social change, integrating perspectives from both art history and social psychology. Explore the mechanisms through which art can influence societal attitudes, behaviors, and norms. Provide historical examples where art has successfully instigated or contributed to social change, analyzing the factors that enhanced its impact. Conversely, discuss cases where art intended to prompt social change but failed, examining potential reasons for its ineffectiveness. Finally, critically evaluate contemporary forms of art and media, and theorize their potential to shape future social movements. Consider the intersectionality of artists' identities and sociopolitical contexts in your analysis

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