New study disentangles the concepts of beauty and attractiveness in art
A new psychological study of 192 portraits confirms that beauty and attractiveness are not identical. Researchers found that judging an artwork’s beauty involves cognitive processes and structural symmetry, while assessing the subject's attractiveness does not.
A recent study examined the distinctions between beauty and attractiveness in art portraits, revealing that while the two concepts are closely linked, they are influenced by different factors. Conducted by researcher Gregor U. Hayn-Leichsenring, the study analyzed 192 portraits from various artistic styles, including Baroque, Impressionism, and Expressionism.
Participants, 300 adults aged 18 to 71, rated the portraits for both attractiveness and beauty on a 9-point scale. Researchers discovered that beauty ratings were more closely related to self-similarity and mirror symmetry, while attractiveness ratings were less dependent on these image properties. The findings suggest that beauty evaluations are influenced more by cognitive processes and specific image qualities, particularly in Baroque portraits.
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