Reading Habits Influence Aesthetic Preference: Exploring the Association between Theory and Practice

Abstract

This study investigates the association between reading habits and aesthetic preferences in different cultural contexts. In particular, we explore two questions: (1) Is the association between reading habits and aesthetic preferences the same in Taiwanese culture as it is in other cultures? (2) Is such an association relevant to the design of applications? Readers of Taiwanese were presented pairs of images, one being the mirror-image of the other, and were asked for their aesthetic preference. We found a significant effect of reading habits on aesthetic preference that right-to-left readers preferred stimuli with a leftward directionality. Despite the popularity of computer use (which have a left-to-right directionality), the influence between reading habits and aesthetic preferences still exists in Taiwan. In contrast, when we apply it to design, we cannot see any effect of reading habits on aesthetic preference. Perhaps the constitutional factors of the images are more complex. This also indirectly reminds us that considering the balance of the screen is more important in design.