Aesthetic Response

Aesthetic response' is one of a constellation of related terms and concepts (e.g., aesthetic experience. aesthetic judgement. aesthetic choice, affective response, musical appreciation, musical preference, musical taste) that have been employed in music education research, theory. and practice when attempting to describe and/or define the nature of music knowing, experience, and judgement. As such the concept of aesthetic response is deeply problematic, an 'essentially contested concept' (Gallie, 1964; Bar rett, 2002), To separate the terms, the 'aesthetic' stems from a philosophical tradition establish ed in th e eigh te ent h century, which drew on the legacy of the Ancient Greeks in an attempt to determine the nature. meaning and value of the arts and sensory experience to human existence. The latter term 'response' implies the end-point of some form of interaction; one that could be the result of precipitate stimulation, behaviourist training. or, considered reflection. While originally located in the realm of philosophy, when wedded to 'response', and placed in the context of music education, 'aesthetic response' has also been the object of study within psychology and sociology.