Effect of perceived novelty on aesthetic preference

Despite the fact that perceived novelty plays an important role in aesthetic preference and is an essential force driving people to visit a place, the literature has paid a little attention to this topic. The relationship between perceived novelty and aesthetic preference is poorly known. To address this gap, this paper explores the effects of perceived novelty on aesthetic preference after 105 participants who evaluated 16 photographs of nature-based landscapes. These photographs were taken in China and North America. The results indicate that: (a) there is a strong positive relationship between perceived novelty and aesthetic preference, also, perceived novelty has a close association with complexity or mystery; (b) two landscape characteristics, sky colour and a natural river bank, contribute to an increase of the perceived novelty of a landscape; and (c) a natural river bank and fewer elements in a landscape enhance preference.