Syllabus

COURSE UNIT INFORMATION SHEET (SYLLABUS)

Study Programme First Cycle Degree in Psychology

Name

Psychology of Art

Teaching staff

António Duarte (Professor in charge)

ECTS

6

Functioning

1 st. Cicle/ 2 nd year – 1 st semester - Theoretical-practical classes

Learning goals 

-knowledge of psychology of art theories

-knowledge of psychology of art’s specificity of psychobiological, psychosocial, cognitive, developmental, personality and individual differences phenomena.

-knowledge of psychology of art’s applications

-knowledge of psychology of different arts

-ability to analyze the psychological processes involved in appreciation and creation of art, the aesthetic encounter, and art works

-ability to research and critically analyze psychology of art’s information

-motivation for learning and research in psychology of art

Skills to be developed

-collecting and analyzing psychology of art’s information from different sources

-understanding and critically analyzing knowledge derived from psychological research, including critical reading and analysis of scientific literature in the area of psychology of art

-scientific grounded analysis and reasoning on behavior and mental processes involved in art appreciation and art creation

-writing and oral presentation of literature reviews

-autonomous and collaborative learning

-knowledge transfer to new situations 

-research in Psychology

Prerequisites (precedences) *

None

Contents

I. Introduction

I.1. Definition, Scope, Relevance History and Currents of Psychology of Art

I.2. Research Methodology of Psychology of Art

II. Psychology of Art Appreciation

II.1. Emotional Aspects of Art Appreciation

II.2. Cognitive Aspects of Art Appreciation

II.3. Behavioral Aspects of Art Appreciation

II.4. Psychosocial Aspects of Art Appreciation

II.5. Development of Art Appreciation

III. Psychology of Art Creation

III.1. Origin and Evolution of Art Creation

III.2. The Creative Process in Art Creation

III.3. Development of Art Creation

IV. Psychology of the Work of Art

V. Psychology of the Arts

V.1. Psychology of Visual Arts, Literature and Music

V.2. Psychology of Theatre, Film and Dance

V.3. Psychology of Photography, Comics and Video Games

V.4. Psychology of Architecture, Design and Body Adornment

VI. Applied Psychology of Art

Bibliography

Duarte, A. M. (2024). Psicologia da arte. Apreciação, criação e obra (Psychology of art. Appreciation, creation and work of art). Edições Sílabo.

Solso, R. L. (1994). Cognition and the visual arts. MIT.

Tinio, P. P. L., & Smith, J. K. (2014). The Cambridge handbook of the psychology of aesthetics and the arts. Cambridge Univ. Press.

Winner, E. (2000). Invented worlds: The psychology of the arts. Harvard University Press

Winner, E. (2018). How art works: A psychological exploration. Oxford University Press

A more specific bibliography will be recommended in the classes

Teaching methods

-Lectures with presentation of commented examples (works of art, documentary records and other relevant materials)

-Exercises for applying acquired knowledge

-Visits to museums and other relevant sites (if possible)

-E-Learning (based on multimedia resources available on the course’s website)

Evaluation Regimes

General

Evaluation Elements (Dates due, weights, minimum required grades)

-Literature review (with introduction, subtopics and conclusion) on an area of choice, from a to be given set of alternatives (60% of the final mark):

a) introduction and conclusion of each review are written by working groups (30% of the final mark)

b) each sub-theme of each review will be individually authored by one of the elements of each working group (30% of the final mark)

-Presentation (group) in class, based on the literature review, by each working group (10% of the final mark)

-Realization (individual presential) of classroom activities (25% of the final classification)

-Realization (group) of Field Activity (5% of the final mark)

Minimum required grades of 9,5 (on a scale of 0-20) in the 1st and 3rd evaluation elements. Deadlines for work deliveries will be combined with the students.

Rules for grade improvement (2nd phase, under inscription at the faculty's office) 

The literature review can optionally be subjected to a grade improvement try (individual improvement: by sending the individual part of the work; improvement of the whole group: by re-sending the work)

Rules for students having previously failed the course unit *

The previous attainment of the 1st / 2nd or 3rd evaluation element dispenses the presentation

Requirements on attendance and punctuality

Mandatory attendance of at least 2/3 of the classes – Punctual attendance to classes

Rules for "special students" (workers, elite athletes, student body leaders, military, fathers/mothers, with special needs) *

For students in this condition who do not choose to carry out the above-mentioned assessment elements:

-Literature review on an area of choice, from a to be given set of alternatives (65% of the final mark):

-Presentation in class, based on the literature review (35% of the final mark)

Language of instruction

English/Portuguese. Erasmus students can speak and write in Spanish or English

Disciplinary violations and penalties

According to the General Regulation for the Assessment of Students’ Knowledge and Skills at the Faculdade de Psicologia da Universidade de Lisboa:

1) Disciplinary infractions are behaviors defined as such in Article 2 of the Students’ Disciplinary Regulation of the University of Lisbon, or in another regulatory or legal rule that may replace it. Additionally, Article 5 of the Code of Conduct and Good Practices of the University of Lisbon must equally be considered, which refers to students’ duties.

2) Specifically, concerning the assessment of knowledge and skills, those regulations deem non-compliance with established standards for assessment procedures or legitimately given orientations by teachers or FPUL institutional boards, or engaging in any conduct that may unfairly harm or benefit oneself or another student, including the use of any not allowed means in these assessment procedures, to be disciplinary infractions.

3) Disciplinary infractions related to the assessment of knowledge and skills include:

a) Using, attempting to use, or making materials, information, notes, study aids, or other unauthorized objects and equipment in exams available to fellow students.

b) Helping or attempting to help a fellow student in committing a disciplinary infraction.

c) Presenting someone else’s work as one’s own (plagiarism), namely using totally or partially copied content from someone else’s work without citing the sources.

d) Presenting as new a previously submitted work, in whole or in a significant part, in another context, even with minor changes, without mentioning this fact and without citing the respective source (self-plagiarism), except in cases where the professors have authorized this.

e) Making use of invented or adulterated information, such as references to non-existent authors or works or the attribution to these works or authors of content that does not correspond to reality, without this being clearly explained.

f) Making use, when carrying out or preparing assessment elements, of materials or information illegitimately obtained, such as, for example, recordings of classes carried out without professors’ consent.

g) Interfering with, modifying, or attempting to modify classifications.

h) Forging signatures on class attendance forms, documents relating to assessment elements, or any official document relating to an academic process or status.

i) Trying to prevent or interfere with exams or other assessment activities, such as work presentations or research participation, as well as activities to prepare for assessments. Situations of student strikes are excluded as long as they are called by entities considered legitimate for this purpose.

j) Making false accusations regarding professors, institutional boards, fellow students, or non-teaching staff of FPUL in evaluation related aspects, without prejudice to provisions of other legal or regulatory rules regarding acts of that type related to other aspects.

4. Disciplinary infractions committed while carrying out any assessment element, or in connection therewith, may result in its cancellation.

5. The decision regarding the cancellation of the assessment element is made in the first instance by the course professors and must be communicated to the Pedagogical Council.

6. In case of a severe disciplinary infraction, the Rector or the Director of FPUL are responsible for initiating any disciplinary proceedings, as well as defining the sanctions to be applied in accordance with the Students’ Disciplinary Regulation of the University of Lisbon.

For more detailed information, please consult:https://www.psicologia.ulisboa.pt/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/RGACCA-Regulamento-Geral-Avaliacao-Conhecimentos-Competencias-Alunos.pdf