Categorization and Aesthetic Preference: Examining Typicality and Novelty Across Rich and Poor Categories

Abstract

The ‘ Most Advanced, Yet Acceptable ’ ( MAYA ) principle has been widely recognized in design research, emphasizing that both typicality and novelty are key predictors of aesthetic preference and that people prefer a combination of both features in design. However, existing studies do not fully explain why one predictor may have a greater influence on aesthetic preference than the other. This study investigates the role of typicality and novelty in explaining aesthetic preferences across rich (with multiple sub-categories) and poor categories (with few sub-categories). Using furniture as stimuli, a questionnaire survey was conducted with 306 participants with non-design backgrounds. The results indicate that typicality is a stronger predictor for poor categories, while novelty has a greater influence on rich categories. These findings suggest that object category richness influences the weight of typicality and novelty in shaping aesthetic preference, offering further elaboration and nuanced interpretation of the MAYA principle that ‘ Most Advanced, Yet Acceptable ’ is suitable for rich categories while ‘ Most Acceptable, Yet Advanced ’ is for poor categories. The study also highlights the necessity of object categorization when integrating typicality and novelty into product designs. These results provide new insights into the cognitive mechanisms underlying aesthetic preference, with implications for both theoretical development and practical design applications.