Published Paper Details:

TITLE: FASCINATION AND THE IMPULSIVE IN AESTHETIC This article deals with aesthetic experience is distinct as an experience qualitatively different from everyday experience and similar to other exceptional states of mind. Not all feelings evoked by reading literature are purely "aesthetic." The latter combines reactive and reflective responses, integrating emotional and mental processes in the evaluation of a literary text, and involves some conceptual conflict, as evidenced by the seeming paradox included in the term "aesthetic emotions." This chapter examines fascination as an aesthetic emotion after providing a brief overview of recent findings in the area. It suggests that this emotion can be thought of as a mix of feelings that test the boundaries of our emotional repertoire, lead to moments of emotional and cognitive disorientation, and elicit momentary insecurities of attachment that ultimately add to the pleasure associated with navigating these difficult feelings while reading. It continues by stating that considering its emphasis on conflicting feelings and emotions.