How does the study of aesthetic experience differ from empirical psychology?

The study of aesthetic experience in the philosophy of art differs fundamentally from empirical psychology in its objectives and methodology.

Philosophy is not a science; it does not seek to investigate the causes of phenomena. Instead, it is an a priori or conceptual investigation that aims to identify and describe the nature of aesthetic experience rather than explain it through causal mechanisms. The philosopher’s goal is to provide the broadest possible description of aesthetic phenomena to understand how they should be valued and interpreted.1

In contrast, empirical sciences—such as psychology, sociology, and anthropology—attempt to provide factual descriptions of what is actually valued and offer causal explanations for the similarities and differences in those valuations. While empirical studies of aesthetic experience (the psychology of beauty) exist, they are distinct from the philosophical approach. Philosophers often argue that such scientific inquiries are premature because they attempt to provide theories for phenomena that have not yet been properly defined or identified.21

Ultimately, while psychology focuses on the "how" and "why" of human behavior, aesthetics focuses on the conceptual validity and meaning of the experience itself.12