Item Details

title

Intention Perception and Meaning

author

Ray, Andrew

abstract

This research investigates the complex relationship between intention and meaning. Study 1 examines how threats to meaning impact subsequent perceptions of intentionality. Following threats to meaning, we predict that an intentionality ascription bias will emerge as an attempt to restore meaning a la the meaning maintenance model (Heine, Proulx, & Vohs, 2006). We did not find threats to meaning to increase perceptions of intentionality for abstract art. However, individuals rated art made by artists to be more intentional and more meaningful than art made by non-artists (toddlers, elephants, non-human primates). If perceiving intentionality begets meaning, perhaps meaning threats lose their impact when they are labeled as intentional. Study 2 also tests the meaning maintenance model (Heine, Proulx, & Vohs, 2006), and examines if intentionality perception will function as a meaning making process, neutralize an ‘accidental’ meaning threat, and render subsequent meaning restoration unnecessary. We did not find evidence in support of this. Implications of these findings are discussed further.

subject

Art

Intention

Intentionality

Meaning

Meaning Maintenance

contributor

Masicampo, E.J. J (committee chair)

Waugh, Christian E (committee member)

Dagenbach, Dale (committee member)

Lee, Win-chiat (committee member)

date

2017-06-15T08:35:29Z (accessioned)

2017-06-15T08:35:29Z (available)

2017 (issued)

degree

Psychology (discipline)

identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/82161 (uri)

language

en (iso)

publisher

Wake Forest University

type

Thesis