Are the aesthetic preferences towards snake species already formed in pre-school aged children?. Issue 1 (2nd January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ptáčková, Jana; Landová, Eva; Lišková, Silvie; Kuběna, Aleš; Frynta, Daniel
• Is Part Of: European journal of developmental psychology. Volume 14:Issue 1(2017)
• Page Start: 16
• Page End: 31
• Publication Date: 2017-01-02
• Subjects: Cognition -- aesthetic preferences -- children -- snake -- colouration; Developmental psychology -- Periodicals; Developmental psychology -- Europe -- Periodicals; 155
• DOI: 10.1080/17405629.2016.1144507
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1740-5629

Abstract

Abstract: This study explores aesthetic preferences towards boa and python species among pre-school children and adults, and compares the ratings between the two groups. A set of snake photographs was presented (56 species) to children and adult respondents. The respondents were asked to select the five most preferred and five least preferred species. The children's agreement on which species were 'beautiful' and which were 'ugly' was statistically significant and a positive relationship between the mean ranks provided by children and adults was also found ( r = .54, P < .001). Children preferred species with thick necks and inconspicuous heads, usually small species, harmless to children. Large pythons probably posed more danger to children than they did to adults during human evolution in African savannas and therefore we hypothesize that young children's aesthetic preferences were shaped by natural selection through interactions with dangerous snakes.