Preference for symmetry, balance, or proximity in picture aesthetics depends on the method of evaluation

Abstract

This study investigates how the method used by participants to assess the beauty of pictures influences their preference for the compositional rules of symmetry, balance, and proximity. The hypothesis that production methods (actively arranging picture elements) prompt a local perspective, favoring proximity, while evaluation tasks (rating precomposed pictures) elicit a global perspective, favoring symmetry and balance, was tested in two experiments. Experiment 1 demonstrated that (positional) symmetry was preferred over balance, and balance over proximity, when participants rated precomposed pictures. Experiment 2, employing a production method with movable elements, showed a frequent use of proximity, yet also a tendency toward (positional) symmetry. The combined results indicate that assessment methods substantially impact the preferred composition rules.