In his book The Arts and Human Development (1994), Howard Gardner draws connections between psychological theories of human trust and artistic authenticity. Dialogues we have with people, he suggests, are in some ways like the dialogues we have with works of art.
Gardner describes the “general states – feelings of trust, security, comfort of distrust, insecurity or maladaptiveness” as extremely primitive, but as “clinically demonstrable phenomena”. In other words, they have been identified, observed and to some degree quantified. Although explanations of these general states are as yet not fully known, Gardner argues that:
…study of these would appear warranted. Upon it rests the possibility of explaining the general qualities and states crucial in artistic activity, such as the fidelity or sham that audience members detect in particular works; or the properties of liveliness, grace, balance, penetration, harmony that creators instill and perceivers appreciate in works of art. If individuals claim to perceive such qualities in art works, if they declare that one work seems genuine, another contrived, these are genuine reactions that must be explained by any psychological theory of the arts. Indeed, if the arts involve communication of information about subjective experience, the initial manifestation of such communication may be crucial; “truth” or “genuineness” in works of art may reflect the sense of well-being and veridicality [accuracy] also paramount in encounters with human beings. And if the artistic process involves communications between individuals, the particular qualities (be they universal or unique) of persons obviously assume critical importance.
(Gardner, 1994; 97)