Makin, Alexis DJ 
ORCID: 0000-0002-4490-7400 and Akthar, Farah
(2026)
Aesthetic Preference for Glass Patterns is Predicted by Known Activations of the Extrastriate Visual cortex
EMPIRICAL STUDIES OF THE ARTS, 44 (2).
pp. 620-631.
ISSN 0276-2374, 1541-4493
Abstract
Visual regularities activate the visual cortex and generate an Event Related Potential (ERP) called the Sustained Posterior Negativity (SPN). Previous research suggests that aesthetic preference and SPN amplitude correlate: People like the visual regularities that generate a large SPN. We found further evidence from a new study, which built on SPN results from previous research. As predicted, participants preferred reflection, circular and radial Glass patterns to translational Glass patterns (reflection = circular = radial >> translation). These results support the perceptual fluency model and suggest that preference for abstract symmetry is not predominantly a side effect of innate attraction to symmetrical faces.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | symmetry, Glass patterns, aesthetics, beauty, Sustained Posterior Negativity |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Health & Life Sciences Faculty of Health & Life Sciences > Inst. Population Health Faculty of Health & Life Sciences > Inst. Population Health > Psychology Faculty of Health & Life Sciences > Inst. Population Health > Inst. Population Health (T&R Staff) |
| Depositing User: | Symplectic Admin |
| Date Deposited: | 19 Nov 2025 14:44 |
| Last Modified: | 16 Jun 2026 20:28 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/02762374251386303 |
| Open Access URL: | https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0276... |
| Related Websites: | |
| URI: | https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3195502 |
| Disclaimer: | The University of Liverpool is not responsible for content contained on other websites from links within repository metadata. Please contact us if you notice anything that appears incorrect or inappropriate. |
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