Aesthetic evaluation and the perceived properties of Chinese characters.

Previous studies have indicated that the visually perceived properties of geometrical figures influence aesthetic evaluations. However, it is unclear whether findings based on geometrical figures can be extended to artworks such as paintings and calligraphy, as artworks have their own contents and m...

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Main Authors: Qinjing Zhang, Hiroyuki Mitsudo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0318353
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author Qinjing Zhang
Hiroyuki Mitsudo
author_facet Qinjing Zhang
Hiroyuki Mitsudo
author_sort Qinjing Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Previous studies have indicated that the visually perceived properties of geometrical figures influence aesthetic evaluations. However, it is unclear whether findings based on geometrical figures can be extended to artworks such as paintings and calligraphy, as artworks have their own contents and meanings. To answer this question, we designed experiments in which users of Chinese characters were asked to rate the perceived symmetry, complexity, prototypicality, and beauty of Chinese characters. Each character was presented to 35 Japanese and Chinese participants in five typing fonts in a laboratory setting (Experiment 1), and to 100 Japanese participants in five calligraphic handwriting scripts online (Experiment 2). By analyzing the relative impacts of perceived properties on aesthetic evaluation and their interactions with script styles using a generalized linear mixed model, we discovered that script style plays an important role in the association between the perceived properties and aesthetic evaluation of Chinese characters. These results are discussed in relation to studies on the aesthetic evaluation of geometrical figures and recent studies using Chinese calligraphy.
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publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
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spelling doaj-art-8421c11ea7da47d183101f1f7cc5fe202025-02-07T05:30:37ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01201e031835310.1371/journal.pone.0318353Aesthetic evaluation and the perceived properties of Chinese characters.Qinjing ZhangHiroyuki MitsudoPrevious studies have indicated that the visually perceived properties of geometrical figures influence aesthetic evaluations. However, it is unclear whether findings based on geometrical figures can be extended to artworks such as paintings and calligraphy, as artworks have their own contents and meanings. To answer this question, we designed experiments in which users of Chinese characters were asked to rate the perceived symmetry, complexity, prototypicality, and beauty of Chinese characters. Each character was presented to 35 Japanese and Chinese participants in five typing fonts in a laboratory setting (Experiment 1), and to 100 Japanese participants in five calligraphic handwriting scripts online (Experiment 2). By analyzing the relative impacts of perceived properties on aesthetic evaluation and their interactions with script styles using a generalized linear mixed model, we discovered that script style plays an important role in the association between the perceived properties and aesthetic evaluation of Chinese characters. These results are discussed in relation to studies on the aesthetic evaluation of geometrical figures and recent studies using Chinese calligraphy.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0318353
spellingShingle Qinjing Zhang
Hiroyuki Mitsudo
Aesthetic evaluation and the perceived properties of Chinese characters.
PLoS ONE
title Aesthetic evaluation and the perceived properties of Chinese characters.
title_full Aesthetic evaluation and the perceived properties of Chinese characters.
title_fullStr Aesthetic evaluation and the perceived properties of Chinese characters.
title_full_unstemmed Aesthetic evaluation and the perceived properties of Chinese characters.
title_short Aesthetic evaluation and the perceived properties of Chinese characters.
title_sort aesthetic evaluation and the perceived properties of chinese characters
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0318353
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