Is War on the Arts War on Human Psychological Systems? A View from Experimental Psychology and Affective Neuroscience

Destruction of cultural heritage and artworks, e.g. by terrorist groups, has significant psychological effects for individuals and communities. This article outlines how the negative psychological effects of iconoclasm and arts destruction may be rooted in the human social brain. The proposed neurocognitive mechanisms include: (1) associative learning mechanisms (memory-reward links), (2) neuroendocrine mechanisms (oxytocin and prolactin reward links) and (3) social touch mechanisms (CT cutaneous mechanoreceptor-reward links). Iconoclasm and arts destruction are a threat to the stability of human psychological systems.