Neuroestetyka – jak mózg tworzy i odbiera piękno? ………. 115

NEUROAESTHETICS – HOW DOES THE BRAIN CREATE AND PERCEIVE BEAUTY?

Neuroaesthetics is an interdisciplinary field of research aimed at understanding the neural mechanisms underlying aesthetic experience. This article traces the development of this discipline from early concepts of empirical aesthetics to contemporary research utilizing neuroimaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG). At the heart of the discussion is the question of how the brain processes aesthetic stimuli and which neural systems contribute to the experience of beauty. Particular attention is paid to theoretical models describing the multidimensional nature of aesthetic experiences, including the concept of the aesthetic triad, which posits the interaction of systems responsible for perception, emotional evaluation and meaning-making. Based on the results of empirical research, the role of the reward system, the orbitofrontal cortex, the default mode network and mirror neurons in the reception of art and other aesthetic stimuli is discussed. The analysis takes into account both potentially universal aesthetic preferences, related, among other things, to symmetry and proportion, and the influence of cultural, cognitive and contextual factors on the experience of beauty.