Visuospatial features influencing the evaluation of two-body interactions
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Visual evaluation of aesthetic, semantic, and emotional aspects of two-body interactions is fundamental for social cognition, yet the contribution of objective stimulus features to these evaluations remains largely unexplored. This study investigated how different visuospatial features of two-body implied interactions influence their evaluations in terms of aesthetic pleasure, symmetry, emotional valence, meaning, and interest. Across four studies involving 200 participants, we found that visually ‘entangled’ two-body interactions, defined by the extent of shared interpersonal space, were rated as more aesthetically pleasing, interesting, and meaningful than their disentangled versions. Using Representational Similarity Analysis and hierarchical multiple regressions, we identified the contribution of each stimulus feature to these evaluations. These findings suggest that two-body entanglement enhances the perceived dyads’ aesthetic and semantic value, possibly facilitating their configural processing. The study expands prior literature and highlights a dissociation between visuospatial features and mechanisms underlying pleasure and interest in dancing bodies.
Source: PsyArXiv (OSF Preprints)
Language: English
Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7220670646