Art and Cognition

In this in-depth text, the preeminent art education scholar Arthur Efland not only sheds light on the problems inhibiting art education, but also demonstrates how art contributes to the overall development of the mind. Delineating how the development of artistic interests and ability is an important aspect of cognition and learning, he shows how art helps individuals construct cultural meaning, a crucial component of social communication—a foundation for lifelong learning that includes the arts.

In Art and Cognition, Arthur Efland:

Explains the cognitive nature of learning in the visual arts—debunking the persistent perception of the arts as emotive only Looks at recent understandings of the mind and intelligence to determine how they bear on questions of the intellectual status of the arts. Explains how a cognitively oriented conception of teaching will change the ways that the arts are taught Discusses the ways in which new developments in cognitive science can be applied to art education. Describes how the arts can be used to develop cognitive ability in children. Identifies implications for art curricula, teaching practices, and the reform of general education.

“This book is one of a kind. It reviews and analyzes different approaches to cognition in the visual arts and their various applications in art education. It is must reading for art educators and educators in general. Thoughtful, stimulating, far-reaching.”
—Michael Parsons, The Ohio State University

“Arthur Efland’s Art and Cognition is, as we have come to expect from him, a fine contribution to the field of art education. It will be an important resource for scholars and students interested in the cognitive character of the visual arts.”
—Elliot W. Eisner, School of Education, Stanford University