Does Image Alignment Affect Perception Consistently?

September 27, 2008 3:05 PM

In an image like this, does the alignments of the faces affect the viewers' perceptions or opinions of the people, and if so, does this cognitive bias for or against left or right carry over even to images where the faces are the same (Ie: "I think both people on the left side of either image look more trustworthy.")? Does the alignment of a single subject and addition of negative space also have an affect ("The woman in the second image looks meaner.")? I'm not so much asking for a referendum on these particular examples as I am curious about any empirical studies or statistics relating to this topic. Thanks!
posted by Alvy Ampersand to Science & Nature (2 answers total)

Left and right arrangement will change perception of the same image. You kind of have to adapt your idea of left and right though.

Different sides of the brain will process different sides of an image to such an extent that someone is capable of being blind to things on their left hand side even if they still have vision in both eyes, they simply become incapable of consciously processing vision from things that strike the right hand side of their retinas in both eyes.

As for how this regionalization of imaging processing effects how the image is perceived, that's beyond my knowledge.
posted by 517 at 4:38 PM on September 27, 2008

Best answer: potentially relevant.
posted by Chris4d at 4:36 PM on September 29, 2008