Preference Judgment for Dynamic Symmetry

Abstract

In the manner of Fechner, this study employed a novel psychophysics methodology and a novel geometric construction task to verify the results of preference judgments for dynamic symmetry (i.e., the golden ratio). The participants were instructed to visually discriminate by forced-choice preference between images with dynamic symmetry and their counterparts with alternate ratios involving horizontal and vertical distortions. The participants reported a reliable preference for images with dynamic symmetry. A Chi-square goodness-of-fit test demonstrated a correlation between participants' preferences (an aesthetic appeal) and the dynamic symmetry of images. This study expands the mathematical knowledge of dynamic symmetry, and contributes to current research on the perception of symmetry.