Observational analysis shows that autism traits modulate aesthetic preferences in color works, indicating unique cognitive processing differences.
Abstract Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterized by atypicalities in both social and non-social behaviors, yet little is known about how autism traits influence aesthetic judgments. This study investigated the impact of autism tendencies, measured by the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), on aesthetic evaluations of abstract color works. Results revealed that larger hue distances enhanced colorfulness and liking ratings. Critically, while colorfulness ratings were similar between AQ groups, liking ratings differed significantly, with high AQ individuals showing reduced sensitivity to hue specificity but increased sensitivity to category membership. Colorfulness ratings positively predicted liking ratings, but this relationship was weaker in the high AQ group. Among AQ subscales, only social skills negatively correlated with liking ratings. These findings highlight how autism traits modulate aesthetic preferences, offering new insights into the distinctive perceptual and cognitive processing of autism.
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Wang et al. (2025) studied this question.
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