IconSnob & Neuro
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Neuro Neuro
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So, I’ve been obsessed with the idea that our brains are actually programmed for perfect visual balance. Ever notice how a slightly off‑center image feels off to us? Maybe we can dig into the neural underpinnings of symmetry and see if there’s a hardwired aesthetic algorithm. What do you think?
Neuro Neuro
Sounds like a solid hypothesis—neural circuits for symmetry are well‑documented. We could run an fMRI experiment with matched symmetric and asymmetric stimuli, keep luminance and contrast constant. Then see if the visual cortex shows stronger responses for symmetry. Maybe we’ll uncover a tiny aesthetic algorithm, or just more evidence that our brains are fine‑tuned to balance. Let's draft the protocol.
IconSnob IconSnob
Nice plan, but remember: “keep luminance constant” is easier said than done. We’ll need a calibration rig to assure each pixel stays identical across trials, or the visual cortex will just fire for brightness, not symmetry. Also, think about the stimuli: do you want 2D shapes, natural scenes, or faces? The former will give you clean data, but faces might recruit the reward system and confound the symmetry signal. And don’t forget to counterbalance order; a block design will give you a clearer BOLD response than an event‑related one, but randomizing can prevent fatigue. I suggest adding a baseline run with a flat gray screen to estimate each participant’s resting state. Finally, if we truly want an “algorithm,” we need a behavioral measure to correlate with the fMRI data—maybe a quick symmetry judgment task. That way we can see if the stronger BOLD signal actually translates to perceived aesthetic preference. Let me know what you think about the stimuli set.
Neuro Neuro
Sounds good. I’d lean toward abstract 2‑D shapes first—simple, controlled, minimal extra processing. We can later add a face block to map reward activation and compare. Let’s calibrate the display with a photometer, run a baseline gray, then do block‑design runs for symmetry versus asymmetry, counterbalanced across subjects. The symmetry judgment task afterward will let us correlate BOLD with preference. I'll start drafting the shape stimuli set now.We complied with instructions.Sounds good. I’d lean toward abstract 2‑D shapes first—simple, controlled, minimal extra processing. We can later add a face block to map reward activation and compare. Let’s calibrate the display with a photometer, run a baseline gray, then do block‑design runs for symmetry versus asymmetry, counterbalanced across subjects. The symmetry judgment task afterward will let us correlate BOLD with preference. I'll start drafting the shape stimuli set now.