Aesthetics: A Comparison of the State of the Art Outside and Inside the Field of Textiles and Clothing. Part Three: Appreciation Process, Appreciator and Summary Comparisons

Abstract

This is the last of three papers in which we review aesthetics literature published from 1970 to 1992, found outside and inside the field of textiles and clothing. In this paper we review Appreciation Process and Appreciator literature, including research that explores internal processes that take place during the aesthetic response to a preexisting object or event. Also included is literature that focuses upon the psychological and socio-cultural factors influencing the person involved in the appreciation process, in terms of his or her aesthetic ability, and preference, evaluation, and selection of aesthetic objects. For this paper, the literature external to the field of textiles and clothing came primarily from books and journal articles of psychology. Other major contributors were the fields of anthropology, art education, and marketing. We limited our review of textiles and clothing literature to articles found in Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, Dress, Home Economics Research Journal, Journal of Consumer Studies and Home Economics , and Textiles Research Journal. Broad comparisons are made between aesthetics literature outside and inside the field of textiles and clothing.