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Is Ornamentation a Universal Human Preference? Cross-Cultural and Developmental Evidence From Scotland, Pakistan, and
Piotr Sorokowski1, Jerzy Luty2, Wiktoria Jdryczka2
1Being Human Lab, Institute of Psychology, University of Wrocław, Wroclaw, Poland.
Summary
Children in less Westernized societies show a stronger preference for ornamentation. Cultural factors in Western societies may suppress this preference as children age, suggesting innate aesthetic biases.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary psychology
- Cross-cultural studies
- Human aesthetics
Background:
- Ornamentation is a universal aspect of human culture, but preferences vary significantly across different societies.
- Understanding the drivers of these aesthetic preferences is key to understanding human evolution and cultural diversity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the hypothesis that socioecological factors influence preferences for ornamentation.
- To investigate developmental trajectories of aesthetic preferences in different cultural contexts.
Main Methods:
- Compared parent-child dyads from three societies with varying WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic) characteristics: Scotland, Pakistan, and Papua New Guinea.
- Assessed ornamentation preferences across different age groups within these societies.
Main Results:
- Societies with fewer WEIRD characteristics showed a stronger preference for ornamentation.
- A decline in ornamentation preference with age was observed exclusively in the Western sample.
- Findings suggest socioecological factors shape aesthetic valuation and cultural context modulates developmental trends.
Conclusions:
- Children's aesthetic preferences may reflect innate biases toward ornamentation, which are later shaped by cultural influences.
- Developmental changes in aesthetic preferences highlight the interplay between evolved predispositions and cultural learning.
- Further research into these developmental pathways is essential for understanding the biological and evolutionary underpinnings of human aesthetics.
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