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Beauty is Easy on the Brain
Posted: October 2, 2006
page 2 of 3To test the theory, researchers had groups of students undergo different experiments. In one experiment, a group of students were presented prototypes of random groupings of dots. Then distortions of the dots in these prototypes were created and presented to the students.
In a second experiment, a group of students rated the attractiveness of random dot patterns and those that conformed to common geometric patterns, like a diamond or square.
The results, published in Psychological Science, showed that the participants categorized patterns quicker and rated them as more attractive when they were closer to their respective prototypes.
A third experiment had students looking at dots also, but this time also examined cheek muscle for smiling action and brow muscle for frowning action.
Researchers also found that the less time it took participants to classify a pattern, the more attractive they found it.