Marcos Nadal

Marcos Nadal is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of the Balearic Islands. His research focuses on psychological aesthetics, neuroaesthetics, and the evolution of the mind, exploring topics like art perception, neural correlates of beauty, and cross-cultural preferences for visual curvature. Nadal has held academic positions since 2001, including roles as Profesor Titular de Universidad since 2021. He earned his PhD in Human Cognition and Evolution from the University of the Balearic Islands (2007).

• Awarded the Margaret Floy Washburn Award (2024) and Daniel E. Berlyne Award (2017)
• Co-edited major handbooks such as The Oxford Handbook of Empirical Aesthetics (2022) and The Routledge International Handbook of Neuroaesthetics (2023)

His work bridges empirical aesthetics with neuroscience, investigating how sensory valuation systems evolved and how brain regions like the prefrontal cortex mediate aesthetic judgments. Recent studies address art's universality, the role of curvature in visual preference, and neural responses to architectural spaces.

Key collaborations include work with Morten Skov (University of Vienna) and Oshin Vartanian on topics like gray matter volume’s impact on beauty judgments and the neurobiology of aesthetic pleasure.