Implicit and Explicit Evaluation of Visual Symmetry as a Function of Art Expertise

Abstract

In perception, humans typically prefer symmetrical over asymmetrical patterns. Yet, little is known about differences in symmetry preferences depending on individuals’ different past histories of actively reflecting upon pictures and patterns. To address this question, we tested the generality of the symmetry preference for different levels of individual art expertise. The preference for symmetrical versus asymmetrical abstract patterns was measured implicitly, by an Implicit Association Test (IAT), and explicitly, by a rating scale asking participants to evaluate pattern beauty. Participants were art history and psychology students. Art expertise was measured using a questionnaire. In the IAT, art expertise did not alter the preference for symmetrical over asymmetrical patterns. In contrast, the explicit rating scale showed that with higher art expertise, the ratings for the beauty of asymmetrical patterns significantly increased, but, again, participants preferred symmetrical over asymmetrical patterns. The results are discussed in light of different theories on the origins of symmetry preference. Evolutionary adaptation might play a role in symmetry preferences for art experts similarly to nonexperts, but experts tend to emphasize the beauty of asymmetrical depictions, eventually considering different criteria, when asked explicitly to indicate their preferences.

Symmetrical Motifs in Young Children’s Drawings: A Study on Their Representations of Plant Life

“…With a view to explaining this observation, it could be understood that the children in the sample are enthusiastic about symmetry and that aesthetic reasons might be behind their interest in depicting dihedral symmetries in their pictures, a point that might be in line with the rules of neuroesthetics described by Ramachandran [55]. Although this rationale cannot be completely ruled out with the data presented, the truth is that recent studies cast doubts regarding the assumption that human beings might be hard-wired to consider symmetry as aesthetically pleasing [32] or that symmetry could be a universal standard of beauty [33] and it seems more likely that aesthetic preferences related to symmetry might be shaped by our own personal and educational experiences [38]. Bearing in mind this line of thought, it seems reasonable to look for further explanations, apart from aesthetic preferences, that might help account for the inclination shown by the children in the sample to draw motifs with dihedral symmetries.…”

“…In this regard, it is worth noting that previous research underscores that even infants are capable of encoding symmetrical patterns more quickly than asymmetrical stimuli [30] and also that the redundant information involved in symmetrical patterns is what enables them to make a faster distinction between the two [32,38].…”

“…In this respect, it is worth noting that symmetrical stimuli is encoded more quickly than those with asymmetrical arrangements, due to the fact that redundant information embodied in symmetrical patterns enhances the process of grouping perceptual items and discriminating them from the background [38].…”

Symmetry and Balance as Factors of Aesthetic Appreciation: Ethel Puffer’s (1903) “Studies in Symmetry” Revised

“…One reason could be that balance is more difficult to produce than symmetry and closeness. Perhaps, art experts might have produced more balanced compositions, because of their knowledge about balance, and because they prefer symmetry less than non-experts [31,32].…”

Corradi, Chuquichambi, Barrada, Clemente, & Nadal. (2019). A New Conception of Visual Aesthetic Sensitivity

“…People differ in their aesthetic valuation because they differ in interests, motivations, capabilities, knowledge, and experience. For instance, art history students prefer asymmetry more than other students, because they rely more on declarative knowledge when making deliberate valuations of visual designs (Leder et al, 2019;Weichselbaum, Leder, & Ansorge, 2018).…”