The Influence of Perception on the Distribution of Multiple Symmetries in Nature and Art

Symmetry

关键词: decorative art;    evolution;    multiple symmetry;    perception models;    perceptual organization;    symmetry perception;    symmetry preference;   

DOI  :  10.3390/sym3010054

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Much is already known about single mirror symmetry, but multiple mirror symmetry is still understood poorly. In particular, perceptually, multiple symmetry does not seem to behave as suggested by the number of symmetry axes alone. Here, theoretical ideas on single symmetry perception and their extensions to multiple symmetry are discussed alongside empirical findings on multiple symmetry perception. The evidence suggests that, apart from the number of axes, also their relative orientation is perceptually relevant. This, in turn, suggests that perception is responsible for the preponderance of 3-fold and 5-fold symmetries in flowers as well as for their absence in decorative art.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.