.png)
The Impact of Art on the Mind
- Adriana Rocha
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
By Adriana Rocha
We have been creating art in different forms for many centuries. The earliest known evidence of ‘artistic behavior’ is of human body decoration, including skin coloring with ochre and the use of beads, although both may have had functional origins. Zig-zag and crisscross patterns, nested curves and parallel lines are the earliest known patterns to have been created.
Art, in its many forms, is human culture and acts as one of the defining characteristic of the human species. In all societies today, visual arts are intimately intertwined with music, dance, ritual and language (poetry, song and story-telling). We find art aesthetically pleasing, and we find that it enhances our perception of the world around us through the use of images and videos.
Aesthetic experiences improve our health and well-being in many ways. Art therapy and engagement with the arts have been shown to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and pain, as well as, help people heal from trauma, protect against cognitive decline, and enhance social cohesion.
Listening to music promotes language development in children and fosters the formation of new neural pathways in adults after a stroke. For individuals with neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, dance can enhance balance and improve function. Another important aspect to mention, is that people with greater empathy are more likely to connect with art on an emotional level, to experience new insights and understandings.
What makes art experiences so powerful?
According to researchers from the University of Toronto, esthetic experiences arise from an interaction of three brain systems:
The sensory motor system perceives sensory features such as color or movement.
The emotion valuation system is concerned with feelings of reward and liking
The knowledge meaning system involves the pure knowledge and personal experiences that allow someone to find significance in their work.
This last system is what makes our work more than just an object or sensory experience. When people are moved by a powerful piece of art, they are deriving pleasure from their ability to make sense of the experience, that pleasure seems to come from within the viewer.
When people interact with visual arts, such as painting, architecture, or sculpture, the brain's Default Mode Network comes alive. Art is a mirror for people who experience it, but it can also be a window into the artist's inner world. Viewers describe emotions similar to what the artists report they have actually been feeling when making the work.
Art, Connection, and Our Social Well-Being
Loneliness is an increasing concern in our society, but art could be a solution to this issue. Creating beneficial art experiences might require intentional efforts to facilitate social interactions around art.
When museum goers view art together and discuss the works, they report greater well-being and more social connectedness, then participants who view the painting side by side without talking. Esthetic experiences may also be tools for encouraging pro social attitudes. The arts have long been a medium of communication, and researchers are exploring how the arts might lead to lasting changes in beliefs and behaviors.
Art as Emotional Regulation
Art is also a channel of regulation. The more details a person can get from art, the more he slows down, remains calm, and may discover new parts of himself. Art serves as a powerful channel for emotional regulation. It allows individuals to express and process their feelings in a non-verbal way, providing a safe space to confront and manage overwhelming emotions.
Engaging with art can promote mindfulness and calmness, allowing individuals to focus on the present moment and reduce stress. The act of creating art can transform emotions into tangible forms, making it easier to understand and process complex feelings. In essence, art not only serves as a creative outlet but also plays a crucial role in emotional well-being and regulation.
Art for Healing: Growing Recognition
Others are catching on to the idea of using art for good. Since the 1980s, health care providers in the United Kingdom have used “social prescribing” to refer patients to a range of beneficial services, including arts experiences like museum visits for depression, or dance programs for people with movement disorders.
Health care providers in the United States are now experimenting with the model. Through an arts prescription program launched in Massachusetts in 2020 by the Mass Cultural Council, medical providers prescribed activities like dance classes or community theater performances that were offered to participants at no cost. Educators and healthcare providers need to help people understand that there is a range of normal experiences and ways to engage with arts.
Art as Culture, Expression, and Connection
Interacting with art is a way of discovering human culture, understanding expression, making connections, letting emotions flow and empathy increase. Beautiful and appealing art pieces can regulate our feelings, thoughts and perceptions, and can become a moment when healing happens.
Art, in its many forms, is meant to captivate our senses, give a different meaning, provide an alternative perception, add additional meaning to our thoughts, and a path where we can rediscover ourselves, and awaken our creativity and resilience.
About the Author
Adriana Rocha is a Bolivian-born psychologist, writer, and photographer whose work has been published in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. She believes in the healing power of art, blending poetry, photography, and psychology to explore themes of nature, reflection, and human connection. Adriana is a member of the Confluence Creative Collective and a contributing writer for the Confluence Chronicles.
References
Weir. K. (2025). What happens in the brain when we experience art. Monitor on Psychology. 56, 54.
Morris. G. (2009). The evolution of human artistic creativity. National Library of Medicine. The evolution of human artistic creativity - PMC
Comments