In the network approach to psychopathology, disorders are conceptualized as networks of mutually interacting symptoms (e.g., depressed mood) and transdiagnostic factors (e.g., rumination). This suggests that it is necessary to study how symptoms dynamically interact over time in a network architecture. In the present paper, we show how such an architecture can be constructed on the basis of time-series data obtained through Experience Sampling Methodology (ESM). The proposed methodology determines the parameters for the interaction between nodes in the network by estimating a multilevel vector autoregression (VAR) model on the data. The methodology allows combining between-subject and within-subject information in a multilevel framework. The resulting network architecture can subsequently be analyzed through network analysis techniques. In the present study, we apply the method to a set of items that assess mood-related factors. We show that the analysis generates a plausible and replicable network architecture, the structure of which is related to variables such as neuroticism; that is, for subjects who score high on neuroticism, worrying plays a more central role in the network. Implications and extensions of the methodology are discussed.

Multivariate psychological processes have recently been studied, visualized, and analyzed as networks. In this network approach, psychological constructs are represented as complex systems of interacting components. In addition to insightful visualization of dynamics, a network perspective leads to a new way of thinking about the nature of psychological phenomena by offering new tools for studying dynamical processes in psychology. In this article, we explain the rationale of the network approach, the associated methods and visualization, and illustrate it using an empirical example focusing on the relation between the daily fluctuations of emotions and neuroticism. The results suggest that individuals with high levels of neuroticism had a denser emotion network compared with their less neurotic peers. This effect is especially pronounced for the negative emotion network, which is in line with previous studies that found a denser network in depressed subjects than in healthy subjects. In sum, we show how the network approach may offer new tools for studying dynamical processes in psychology.

Objectives: The present study tested a motivational sequence in which children's goals for leisure-time sport and physical activity (PA) from Goal Content Theory predicted pedometerdetermined PA through behavioural regulation constructs from Self-Determination Theory. Design:Quantitative cross-sectional study.Method: A sample of 1,272 Flemish (Dutch speaking part of Belgium) sixth graders (M age = 11.42 years) filled in a questionnaire on PA goal content, behavioural regulations and pubertal status. Children's height and weight were measured to assess Body Mass Index (BMI). To measure daily PA behaviour, participants wore a pedometer for seven consecutive days.Structural equation modelling was performed to test the proposed motivational sequence and to examine the mediation effect of behavioural regulations towards leisure-time sport and PA on the relation between PA goal content and daily step counts.Results: A structural equation model supported the hypothesized sequence in which intrinsic goals for leisure-time sport and PA predicted children's daily step counts through autonomous motivation towards leisure-time sport and PA. Multi-sample invariance testing revealed that the proposed model was largely invariant across BMI groups, pubertal status and gender. Conclusion:The findings highlight the importance of emphasizing intrinsic goals for participation in leisure-time sport and PA in children aged 10-12 years. By stimulating children to participate in PA and sports by referring to intrinsic goals, children are more likely to enjoy PA, which in turn might increase the likelihood of a regular and long-term PA engagement.

Based on Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000), this study tested whether changes in autonomous motivation toward physical education (AMPE) during the transition from elementary to secondary school can be predicted by changes in perceived need support from the physical education (PE) teacher and perceived physical school environment. Self-reported data were gathered from 472 Flemish (northern part of Belgium) students in 6th grade (2009) and again in 8th grade (2011). Mediation analyses showed that an increase in perceived need support from the PE teacher was related to an increase in AMPE (boys: β = .42; girls: β = .50). In boys, this relation was mediated by changes in perceived competence (β = .08). In girls, this relation was mediated by changes in perceived autonomy (β = .12), perceived competence (β = .14), and perceived relatedness (β = .05). This study shows that PE teachers should be need-supportive to maintain a good quality of motivation in students.

Photography is everywhere in our current society, yet we still do not have a good scientific grasp on our aesthetic responses to photography. High quality contemporary artistic photographs have been underrepresented in the scientific literature of empirical aesthetics, despite their obvious relevance to the topic. Furthermore, photography is a medium that often works in coherent series of photographs with a specific visual, documentary, or artistic message, whereas previous studies mainly focused on single photographs. We examined visitors' aesthetic experiences with artistic photography series in an exhibition context. In general, visitors responded positively to the photography series in the exhibition and felt moved by them. There were differences between series in whether visitors felt the need to read additional context information and to which photograph(s) the majority of visitors' attention went. Visual inspection of the differences in average beauty and interest ratings between different series showed that aesthetic experiences could not be explained by straightforward photographic visual features but rather depended on other aesthetic qualities. Both beauty and interest related to feeling moved by the series, but for beauty the quality of the photographs seemed to matter, whereas for interest originality, meaningfulness, and coherence played a larger role. Experts and novices differed slightly in the specific evaluations that led to beauty versus interest ratings. Overall, the study highlights that our aesthetic experiences with photographs can be much more interesting, beautiful, moving, and meaningful than how it is currently reflected in the empirical aesthetics literature.

Artistic photography is an interesting, but often overlooked, medium within the field of empirical aesthetics. Grounded in an art–science collaboration with art photographer Dominique Genin, this project focused on the relationship between the complexity of a photograph and its aesthetic appeal (beauty, pleasantness, interest). An artistic series of 24 semi-abstract photographs that play with multiple layers, recognisability vs unrecognizability and complexity was specifically created and selected for the project. A large-scale online study with a broad range of individuals (n = 453, varying in age, gender and art expertise) was set up. Exploratory data-driven analyses revealed two clusters of individuals, who responded differently to the photographs. Despite the semi-abstract nature of the photographs, differences seemed to be driven more consistently by the ‘content’ of the photograph than by its complexity levels. No consistent differences were found between clusters in age, gender or art expertise. Together, these results highlight the importance of exploratory, data-driven work in empirical aesthetics to complement and nuance findings from hypotheses-driven studies, as they allow to go further than a priori assumptions, to explore underlying clusters of participants with different response patterns, and to point towards new venues for future research. Data and code for the analyses reported in this article can be found at https://osf.io/2fws6/.

Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, which restricted our daily (visual) experiences, we asked people to take an ugly and beautiful photograph from within their homes. In total, 284 photographs (142 ugly and 142 beautiful) and accompanying statements were submitted and brought to light an intimate portrait of how participants were experiencing their (lockdown) home environment. Results revealed an aesthetic preference for (living) nature. Beauty and ugliness were also connected to good versus bad views, mess versus cosiness, unflattering versus flattering portraits and positive versus negative (COVID-19) emotions. In terms of photography strategies, editing and colour were important for beautiful photographs, whereas a lack of effort and sharpness showed up relatively more in ugly photographs. A follow-up study revealed that other viewers' (n = 86) aesthetic judgements of the photographs were largely in line with the original submissions, and confirmed several of the themes. Overall, our study provides a unique photographic window on our everyday aesthetic experiences at home during the COVID-19 lockdown.

We are processing many photographs on a daily basis, but our understanding of perceptual and aesthetic processing of photography is limited. The relationship between processing fluency and aesthetic evaluations was studied in a varied set of high-quality artistic photographs. Interactions between subject matter (e.g., portrait), medium (e.g., sharpness, color, portrait orientation), and form (e.g., filling of the frame, uniform background, vertical symmetry) appeared to be relevant for evaluated fluency of processing. The pleasure-interest model of aesthetic liking (Graf & Landwehr, 2015) was tested on a selection of low, medium, and high-fluency photographs. Results were partly in line with the model, showing two routes to aesthetic liking with different relationships to fluency. In the automatic condition, high-fluency photographs were found most pleasant, but in the controlled condition, low-fluency photographs were found most pleasant. Regarding interest, however, all conditions showed the highest interest for the low-fluency photographs, irrespective of processing style. We therefore explored the relationship between fluency and interest for larger sets of photographs (heterogeneous and homogeneous in subject matter), finding similar low interest percentages for the highest fluency photographs, but here the highest interest ratings were found for medium levels of fluency. In general, the studies show that investigating how processing fluency relates to aesthetic impressions of photographs can be a promising but complex avenue. Data and analyses code can be found at: https://osf.io/b3z2y/.