Work In Progress Seminar: Norberto Grzywacz

Personal aesthetic values are constantly evolving.  Our recent studies have shown that the temporal dynamics of this evolution are complex, individualized, and occur at different time scales.  In this seminar, I will describe our work in progress to elucidate the mechanisms of these dynamics.   In the first part, I will describe preliminary results using social-influence models based on both value-distance rules and reinforcement learning.  I will also describe new experiments that we are preparing to test these models.  If time allows, I will describe in the second part of the seminar ideas on the effect of choice on these dynamics.  These ideas stem from the well-established result that choices being made now tend to be consistent with those made in the past, probably to avoid cognitive dissonance.  Thus, our own choices, not only exposure to the world, can affect our aesthetic values.