The cycle of preference: long-term dynamics of aesthetic appreciation

Abstract

According to evolutionary psychology people prefer curved objects. We provide evidence that preferences for curved objects might be biologically motivated, but can also be, at least partly, modulated by fashion, trends or Zeitgeist effects. In four studies, participants (n1=38, n2=40, n3=38, n4=38) rated the curvature and appreciation of car models for ten 5-y periods (1950-1999). A parabolic function of curvature, with the lowest curvature for 1980s designs, was documented. Further, appreciation followed this parabolic trend. We revealed adaptation effects as plausible candidates for triggering such changes in preference. In sum, as appreciation of curvature changes dynamically over time, any study aiming to find static and general principles of liking regarding curvature is confounded with Zeitgeist effects.