The Internal Structure of a Rectangular Frame: Position, Orientation, and Direction

Previous research has shown that the structure of a rectangular frame strongly influences perceived goodness-of-fit for a small circular probe positioned within it (Palmer and Guidi, 2011). The center is consistently rated as the best position, followed by positions along the global vertical, global horizontal, and local diagonal symmetry axes. Here we report how goodness-of-fit within a surrounding frame is influenced by the relation between with the orientational and directional structure of the probe and that of the frame. In Experiment 1, fit ratings of short line segments and small ovals (each with two symmetry axes) at 35 positions and four orientations within the frame revealed strong orientational effects, especially when the probe's and frame's axes of symmetry were aligned. Experiment 2 extended the paradigm using triangular probes (with a single symmetry axis) at 15 positions and eight pointing directions. The results showed high fit ratings when the probe was aligned with global and local symmetry axes of the frame, and directional increments when the probes pointed upward, rightward, and into the frame. Experiment 3 confirmed the upward, rightward, and inward directional effects of Experiment 2 using a more sensitive Two-Alternative Forced Choice (2AFC) task. Experiment 4 showed that orientational effects were more strongly driven by alignment with the rectangle's sides than with gravitational or retinal reference frames, especially when the probe was near the sides and vertices of the frame. The relevance of these findings to the empirical study of aesthetic response to images within rectangular frames is discussed.