Domain Specificity in Human Symmetry Preferences: Symmetry is Most Pleasant When Looking at Human Faces

被引:29
|
作者
Little, Anthony C. [1 ]
机构
[1] Univ Stirling, Sch Nat Sci Psychol, Stirling FK9 4LA, Scotland
来源
SYMMETRY-BASEL | 2014年 / 6卷 / 02期
关键词
symmetry; asymmetry; face preference; art; biological stimuli; specific; bias; MALE FACIAL ATTRACTIVENESS; SEXUAL-DIMORPHISM; BILATERAL SYMMETRY; DEVELOPMENTAL STABILITY; BREAST ASYMMETRY; GOOD GENES; PERCEPTION; MASCULINITY; AVERAGENESS; SELECTION;
D O I
10.3390/sym6020222
中图分类号
O [数理科学和化学]; P [天文学、地球科学]; Q [生物科学]; N [自然科学总论];
学科分类号
07 ; 0710 ; 09 ;
摘要
Visual symmetry has been found to be preferred to asymmetry in a variety of domains and across species. A number of theories propose to explain why symmetry is preferred. In this article, I compare a perceptual bias view, in which symmetry is preferred due to factors inherit to the visual system, and an evolutionary advantage view, in which symmetry is preferred due to selection pressures on partner preference. Preferences for symmetry in three stimulus types were determined by having symmetric and asymmetric versions of the same images rated for pleasantness: human female faces, macaque monkey faces, and abstract art. It was found that preferences for symmetry were strongest for human female faces and weakest for art. This finding builds on previous research suggesting that symmetry preferences for human faces are different from symmetry preferences in other domains and that simple perceptual bias explanations do not wholly explain human visual face symmetry preferences. While consistent with an evolutionary advantage view, these data are also potentially explainable via a perceptual bias view which accounts for experience of stimuli. The interplay between these two views is discussed in the context of the current study.
引用
收藏
页码:222 / 233
页数:12
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