Paradoxical Complementarity in the Esthetic Preferences of the Cerebral Hemispheres: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

Significant differences in the consistency of intrahemispheric and interhemispheric preferences indicate reliable differences in the esthetic choices associated with each hemisphere. Given an initial like or dislike of stimuli by the hemisphere first activated, the other hemisphere will exhibit preferences in the opposite direction. This suggests a process of paradoxical complementarity between the hemispheres in which the preferences of the hemispheres are antithetical but not fixed.