Cross-National Rankings of Tree Shape

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Abstract
College students in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Israel, Japan, and the United States rated the attractiveness of two sets of stimulus figures representing variations in tree shape. As predicted by the theories of Appleton, Orians and Heerwagen, and Ulrich, there was a preference across nationality for spreading and globular trees and away from conical and columnar forms. Consistent with research demonstrating familiarity effects, there was also a preference for trees most common in early experience. While both formal characteristics and early experience influence the perceived attractive ness of tree shapes, formal characteristics appear to play the greater role.