Individual preferences for certain types of spirals and the possible role of creativity

Abstract

This study explores the appeal of different types of spirals, commonly found in nature, architecture, and art. The first experiment investigated aesthetic appreciation of Archimedean, logarithmic, and golden spirals, considering factors such as size and the number of turns. As a result, three groups of individuals were identified: those who favored golden spirals, those who preferred Archimedean spirals, and a group that liked logarithmic spirals and similar ones. Interestingly, personality traits showed no clear relation with these preferences. In the first part of a second experiment, the participants were not only asked to choose between different types of spirals, but also to justify their choice by providing reasons. The results indicate that the preferences often stem from the spirals’ features as well as from personal associations, confirming that aesthetic judgments are influenced by both objective and subjective factors. However, results also suggested that the preference for certain types of spirals is related to creativity. This hypothesis was tested in the second part of the second experiment in which participants generated associations to the spirals. The analysis of the frequency and originality of the associations revealed that individuals who prefer the golden spiral to the Archimedean spiral tend to be more creative. Overall, the study highlights the complexity of aesthetic preferences and the potential role of both objective features and subjective associations in shaping our responses to spirals.