A Review of Event-Related Potential Measuring Aesthetic Processing in Visual Aesthetic Experience Research

Abstract

Previous empirical studies and literature reviews on visual aesthetic experience (VAE) have predominantly centered on functional magnetic resonance imaging studies. As such, the present study aims to review the electrophysiological mechanisms underlying VAE based on the evidence from event-related potential (ERP) studies. The search of online databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus) yielded 7,312 articles, of which 18 empirical studies met the selection criteria. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, methodological characteristics and results across the included studies were compiled and analyzed. The findings reveal that VAE involves both early sensory stages and higher level cognitive processing, with analyzed ERP components focused on Negative 1, Negative 2, Positive 1, Positive 2, Positive 3, late positive potential, late positive component, Negative 4, and vertex-positive potential. Notably, inconsistent results were observed in components related to early perception and attention, potentially stemming from the heterogeneity of experimental materials across studies. However, a consistent pattern emerged indicating larger Positive 3 and late positive component responses to beautiful stimuli, and late positive potential reflected the affective evaluation of aesthetic preferences, particularly toward stimuli perceived as unattractive or disliked. Problems of flexibility of ERP analysis and selective reporting in current ERP studies on VAE are further identified. To promote comparability and replicability of future studies, the present study also discusses potential options for future research. Overall, this review aims to advance our understanding of the cognitive neural processes involved in VAE and serves as a reference for researchers in the field.