Social Motivation of Art and Trusting Strangers : Analysis of an In-Class Questionnaire at an Art College

In this study, I examine the conditions under which students develop an interest in fine art through an analysis of data from an in-class survey at a university of technology. Interest in art does not emerge from personal attributes, but from a broader social concern. Accordingly, Niklas Luhmann's sociology of art explains the motivation for art participation based on the "observation of contingency." To measure this motivation, I use "trust in strangers" as an alternative indicator that also relates to social capital theory. The results of multiple regression analysis confirm that trust in strangers heightens interest in art. To specify what this variable measures, I test the hypothesis that the effect of stranger trust on interest in art is stronger when respondents' national pride is low. Multiple regression analysis confirms a negative interaction between the two variables. The findings prompt a discussion on how art courses can increase students' interest in art.