The Mapping Relationship Between Emotion and the Laws of Formal Beauty: Construction and Validation

INTRODUCTION: The intrinsic mapping mechanism between emotion and the laws of formal beauty is crucial for emotional design and human-computer interaction. However, existing research lacks a systematic construction and empirical validation of the dynamic, bidirectional mapping relationship between emotional dimensions (valence, arousal) and formal beauty features (symmetry, proportion, rhythm, complexity). OBJECTIVES: This study aims to construct a bidirectional mapping theoretical framework between emotion and the laws of formal beauty, and to empirically validate it through a multi-modal psychophysiological experiment. The goal is to quantify the driving effect of emotional states on formal beauty preferences and the reverse regulatory effect of formal beauty on emotional states. METHODS: A within-subjects experimental design of 2 (valence) × 2 (arousal) × 4 (formal beauty features) was employed, inducing emotions through dual stimuli of images and music. Behavioral preference scores, Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), and Photoplethysmography (PPG) data were synchronously collected from 100 participants. Data analysis was conducted using repeated-measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), multiple regression analysis, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). RESULTS: A significant main effect of emotional state on graphic preference scores was found ( ). High-valence emotions were significantly associated with a preference for high symmetry ( ) and high proportional harmony. High-arousal emotions were linked to a preference for forms with high rhythm and complexity. Physiological data confirmed a physiological matching mechanism between emotional arousal levels and formal beauty preferences. Furthermore, designs with high symmetry and proportional harmony demonstrated a significant regulatory effect on negative emotions (low valence-high arousal) ( ). CONCLUSION: This study systematically constructs and empirically validates a bidirectional mapping model between emotion and the laws of formal beauty. It reveals the driving mechanism of emotional dimensions on formal beauty preferences and confirms the positive regulatory function of formal beauty on emotional states. The findings provide a precise scientific basis for emotional design, user interface optimization, and art-form-based psychological interventions.