Effects of Symmetry and Number of Compositional Elements on Interface and Design Aesthetics

This article describes two experiments investigating the effects of manipulating two compositional elements—symmetry and the number of compositional building blocks—on subjective appraisals of interface aesthetics. The experiments use stimuli with identical composition but varying subject matter. The first experiment uses abstract black-and-white geometric images, whereas the second uses realistic-looking Web pages as stimuli. Both experiments have three levels for each of the two independent variables, with the dependent measure being subjective ratings of aesthetic appeal. Results from both experiments show that the number of compositional elements influences aesthetic appeal ratings. For the abstract imagery, symmetry also plays a role such that participants find the more symmetric images appealing. Implications of these findings on interface design are discussed.