Ego Development and Aesthetic Judgment Styles in Iranian Adults

• Main Authors: Reza Pourhosein, Shahin Mohammadi-Zarghan, Mehrnoosh Soufiabadi, Mohammad Atari
• Format: Article
• Language: Bulgarian
• Published: PsychOpen 2017-04-01
• Series: Psychological Thought
• Subjects: art; aesthetic judgment style; aesthetics; developmental psychology; ego development
• Online Access: http://psyct.psychopen.eu/article/view/213

The theory of ego development presents a comprehensive framework to understand personality development throughout the stages of life. In this developmental theory, the ego is considered a cognitive-based structure and the primary synthesizing and regulating agent in personality development. Art appreciation and aesthetic judgment are considered to have personality correlates and developmental aspects. The current study aimed to examine the association between ego development and aesthetic judgment styles in adults. We recruited 202 adults from a community sample in Tehran, Iran. The age of participants in this study ranged from 18 to 64 (M = 29.5, SD = 8.9). Consistent with our hypotheses, results indicated that concrete aesthetic judgment was negatively associated with ego development. Moreover, analytical and emotional aesthetic judgment styles were positively correlated with ego development. In conclusion, individuals who scored higher in ego development tended to use more advanced aesthetic judgment styles when exposed to art.