'This one at least means something' : a quantitative approach on studying aesthetic development of secondary school pupils

The current research contrasts two views on the development of aesthetic expectations: the first is derived from socialization theories of art perception based on Bourdieu’s cultural reproduction model, the second from stage-models of psychological aesthetic development and neuroscience. Both views try to answer the question of which criteria are used to judge art, and what the interpersonal differences in these used criteria are based on. These alternative views are contrasted by studying the aesthetic development of secondary school pupils. Relevant aspects of art socialization, stage-perspectives on aesthetic development and art evaluation are combined in a quantitative multi-track model in which we disentangle complementary and superseding relations. We use surveydata of 346 Flemish secondary school pupils visiting an art museum in a school trip. This specific age category - 12 to 18 - is especially relevant to study early development in aesthetical expectations and evaluations. Aesthetic development is operationalized as three factors derived from eleven likert items measuring aesthetic expectations and evaluations: (1) a base-order track focusing on beauty, representation and harmony, (2) an emotional evaluation track and (3) a contemplative track consisting of the need for fantasy, novelty and reflection. Using MANCOVA, we, furthermore, assess effects on factor scores of sociodemographic variables, education level and prior art museum experience. The aim of this paper is to complement the class-based literature on aesthetic development by psychological and neuroscientific insights on this topic. This can deepen our understanding of aesthetic development, modes of art consumption and art education