Autism, Creativity and Aesthetics

IF 4.6 3区心理学 Q1 PSYCHOLOGY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Qualitative Research in Psychology Pub Date : 2020-10-01 DOI:10.1080/14780887.2018.1442763

Ilona Roth

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引用次数: 10

Abstract

ABSTRACT This essay reflects on creative imagination in people on the autism spectrum. A key diagnostic criterion for autism- restricted and repetitive behaviours and interests- together with a small number of research studies, suggest that generating original ideas or artefacts may be challenging for autistic people. Yet a minority within this population has exceptional artistic gifts, and a wider group embraces activities typically associated with creative expression, including visual art, music, poetry and theatre. One approach to reconciling these divergent profiles has been to attribute accomplished work by autistic artists to cognitive skills other than creativity, notably exceptional memory, meticulously accurate representation or ‘rule-following’. I suggest that this involves an aesthetic double standard, since styles such as realism are not considered antithetical to creativity when employed by neurotypical or non-autistic artists. The notion that autistic art constitutes a unified stylistic genre is in any case overly reductive, as illustrated by the varied character of both poetry and visual art by this group. Moreover, ‘Outsider Art’, a movement which undoubtedly promotes neurodiverse artists, also risks insulating their work from mainstream aesthetic standards. Autistic art, whether or not characterised by particular motifs and subject matter, calls for a nuanced and inclusive concept of creativity. My reflection starts with a poem, an appropriate medium to express my captivation with the paradox and promise of autistic art, and how it inspires my own imagination. It ends by highlighting the positive potential of creative activities for all with autism.

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自闭症、创造力与美学

这篇文章反映了自闭症患者的创造性想象力。自闭症的一个关键诊断标准——受限和重复的行为和兴趣——连同少量的研究表明，对自闭症患者来说，产生原创的想法或人工制品可能是具有挑战性的。然而，这一群体中的少数人具有非凡的艺术天赋，而更广泛的群体则从事与创造性表达有关的活动，包括视觉艺术、音乐、诗歌和戏剧。调和这些不同特征的一种方法是将自闭症艺术家的成就归功于认知技能，而不是创造力，尤其是非凡的记忆力，一丝不苟的准确表现或“遵守规则”。我认为这涉及到审美的双重标准，因为现实主义等风格在被神经正常或非自闭症艺术家使用时并不被认为是与创造力对立的。自闭艺术构成一个统一的风格流派的概念在任何情况下都是过度简化的，正如这个群体的诗歌和视觉艺术的不同特征所说明的那样。此外，“局外人艺术”运动无疑促进了神经多样性艺术家的发展，但也有将他们的作品与主流审美标准隔离开来的风险。自闭症艺术，无论是否以特定的主题和主题为特征，都需要一种微妙而包容的创造力概念。我的反思从一首诗开始，这是一个恰当的媒介，表达了我对自闭症艺术的悖论和希望的迷恋，以及它如何激发我自己的想象力。它最后强调了创造性活动对所有自闭症患者的积极潜力。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Qualitative Research in Psychology PSYCHOLOGY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY-

CiteScore

20.00

自引率

0.50%

发文量

期刊介绍： Qualitative Research in Psychology is an international, peer-reviewed journal that publishes high-quality, original research. It aims to become the primary forum for qualitative researchers in all areas of psychology, including cognitive, social, developmental, educational, clinical, health, and forensic psychology. The journal also welcomes psychologically relevant qualitative research from other disciplines. It seeks innovative and pioneering work that advances the field of qualitative research in psychology. The journal has published state-of-the-art debates on various research approaches, methods, and analytic techniques, such as discourse analysis, interpretative phenomenological analysis, visual analyses, and online research. It has also explored the role of qualitative research in fields like psychosocial studies and feminist psychology. Additionally, the journal has provided informative articles on ethics, transcription, interviewee recruitment, and has introduced innovative research techniques like photovoice, autoethnography, template analysis, and psychogeography. While the predominant audience consists of psychology professionals using qualitative research methods in academic, clinical, or occupational settings, the journal has an interdisciplinary focus. It aims to raise awareness of psychology as a social science that encompasses various qualitative approaches. In summary, Qualitative Research in Psychology is a leading forum for qualitative researchers in psychology. It publishes cutting-edge research, explores different research approaches and techniques, and encourages interdisciplinary collaboration.